


The Devil You Know

by mendoza



Category: Good Girls (TV)
Genre: Christmas, F/M, Post-Canon, Sexual Tension, Slow Burn, Violence, alternative s2, but not more than in the actual show, did I mention slow burn?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-24
Updated: 2019-04-08
Packaged: 2019-09-26 15:51:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 23,986
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17144651
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mendoza/pseuds/mendoza
Summary: “Hello, sweetheart.”It’s been months since Beth has heard from Rio and she’s almost certain she’s never going to see him again. But when a mysterious package arrives on her doorstep, she is certain it can only be from him. As their lives begin to intertwine once more Beth finds it harder and harder to resist the thrill of Rio’s lifestyle.They might have gotten away unharmed last time, but will it work a second time? And does she want it to?Set a couple months after the show ended, every chapter takes place on a holiday. Next one: Easter





	1. Merry Christmas

“Come on, hurry up, Emma. We don’t want to be late for school,” Beth said as she watched her little girl put on her pink winter coat as if she had all the time in the world. Finally, she got her second arm in and hurried out the door towards the car where the others were already seated and buckled up.

With a sigh, Beth locked the door. She’d been cautious not to show it in front of the kids, but life after Dean had moved out hadn’t been particularly easy. Not only did every household duty fall back on her, money had also never been tighter. Dean supported them, of course, but times were though at the moment. His car business was going through another dry spell (much like her southern regions as Annie would say) and with Christmas around the corner their expenses were skyrocketing. Gifts needed to be bought, four different kinds of cookies needed to be baked for the school’s bake sale and what would Christmas  be without a tree? They should’ve switched to a plastic one years ago but she could never quite bring herself to do it, not while Emma was still young. 

She shook her head and headed to the car. There was no time to worry right now, her kids had to be at school in fifteen minutes. They’d already been late once already this week. 

Beth slid into the drivers seat. “Last day everyone, are you ready?“ 

Varying responses came from the backseats as she steered the car down the road. The only one still excited for school was Emma, her little one. Oh, how easy life had been back then. Beth knew many people didn’t have fond memories of school, but sometimes she wished for simpler times, back when power had been hers for the taking. 

Soon, she’d dropped her kids off and was headed back home, contemplating whether she should spend the couple hours of free time catching up on neglected household tasks or Grey’s Anatomy.  

As usual she passed the massive department store on her way. No matter how often she drove past it, her mind couldn’t help but wander to a certain time a couple of months ago when they’d laundered money at this very store for a bunch of criminals. She  was lucky they’d gotten out practically unscathed. Sure, it had driven a wedge between her and Dean, but their marriage had been going downhill long before a pretty criminal beat him up. Annie and Ruby’s lives weren’t rosy either now, but at least they were still alive. After seeing the rage in Rio’s eyes that final night, she knew they were beyond fortunate to still be breathing.

Why hadn’t he killed them? The question had plagued Beth ever since. By now she’d become a professional at locking it in a room in her mind she never allowed herself to open. Every time it slipped through the cracks, she pushed it back in and threw the key away anew. They were lucky to be out; she wasn’t about to question why. There were bigger things to worry about. Yet, the past seemed intend on haunting her today.

The moment she drove into her driveway, she spotted the black car parked across the road. An all too familiar shiver ran down her spine. They were back. Beth could only imagine what they wanted - her head on a stick. 

Without thinking her hand went to the glove compartment. The fake gun she’d used for their robberies was laying inside. After things with Rio had escalated, she’d intended to get a real one. A pathetic attempt to gain back some sense of safety that had been destroyed by the people sitting in that very car. 

Needless to say, she’d never actually gotten around to getting a gun. Instead Beth was now clutching a useless toy that would fool them for 0.1 seconds at the most. She squinted at the rearview mirror. Tinted windows obscured whoever was inside to mere shadows which made it impossible to figure out who exactly was waiting for her. There was only one way to find out.

Beth grabbed her handbag, hid the gun inside and got out of the car, paying no attention to the black Mercedes.  She might not have a real gun but she had other cards up her sleeve.

But as soon as she’d made her way to the front door, the car drove off. Beth trembled, the adrenaline rushing out of her body. What the hell had just happened? Why had they come back after months of silence? She’d almost believed Rio had fled the country, or at the very least the state. Evidently, she had guessed wrong.

After three failed attempts, Beth finally got the key into the lock and opened the door. Once safely inside, she headed straight for the kitchen. Various dishes and food scraps from today’s breakfast were strewn about the counter, abandoned by her children. Beth’s fingers twitched, ready to clean and get this house back to perfection, but first she needed a drink.

She opened the fridge, intend on finishing the rest of red wine left from the previous night but as soon as she caught sight of it she knew it was the wrong choice and closed it again. Wine wasn’t strong enough, her nerves needed whiskey.

After she’d poured herself well more than a finger and taken a sip that made it seem like she no liquid had passed her lips in days, she got started on cleaning the kitchen. No better way to calm down than alcohol and cleaning.  Despite Annie’s constant teasing Beth treasured her coping mechanism. The mind numbing rhythm of cleaning erased her worries, while the alcohol took care of relaxing her body. The biggest advantage was that it made her seem like she had her shit together. She could at least pretend like she wasn’t being stalked by gang-members because she’d turned in the guy she was laundering money for. 

Once the kitchen was done Beth moved on to the living room while sipping on the little that was left in her glass, knowing she couldn’t have a second one before her kids were picked up from school. She had just begun dusting bookshelves when the doorbell rang. Her body only froze for a second, then all at once she sprang into action. She put down her dust wipe and whiskey before darting into the kitchen. Her bag was slung over one of the bar chairs, her sense of safety inside. In seconds her fingers closed around the toy gun and holstered it at her back. The bell rung again.

“Coming,” she yelled and hurried through the living room to the front. Taking a deep breath that did nothing to quieten the beating of her heart, she opened the door.“Jeez what were you doing in there? I thought I was going to turn into ice before you showed up.” Annie shoved past her into her house, not noting the stunned expression on Beth’s face.

“Don’t tell me you forgot,” Ruby said as a way of greeting. “It’s trash day, Beth. Our weekly reality-tv binge?”

Beth cursed herself internally. She’d seen the reminder on her phone this morning but with everything going on, it had completely slipped her mind. “Sorry, I’ve been super busy. Kenny had a science project and the house was looking a mess when I came home I had to clean it.” Beth waited for Ruby to enter, then closed the door behind her.

Ruby’s eyebrows knitted together, her eyes resting on Beth’s. “ What is going on? Is everything alright with you?”

“Yeah, of course,” Beth forced herself to chuckle. “Why are you asking?”

“Because you clean when you’re stressed, oh and also there’s a toy gun sticking out of the back of your pants,” Ruby whisper-shouted.

Beth cringed. “Alright, just, let’s sit down first.” She led them to the kitchen where Annie had already taken the liberty to rummage through her fridge and grab a yogurt.

“Those were for the kids’ lunches,” Beth weakly protested.

“You give them yogurts to school? That’s like the best thing for food fights.”

Ruby shot a her an irritated look. “What - never mind, I don’t want to know.” She took a seat next to Annie and turned to Beth. “So, what happened?”

Annie looked up from her yogurt, eyes darting between the two of them, eventually coming to a rest on Beth. “Did Deansie do something stupid again? Because if he did, I swear I’m personally gonna slap him.”

“It’s not Dean,” Beth said and crossed her arms. For a second she considered lying to them, keeping them save, but when had that ever worked out for them? “When I came back from school today, there was a black car opposite my house. I panicked but it was probably nothing. It drove away before I even got inside.”

Her friends exchanged a quick glance, concerned. They were all too aware of what was at stake. If Rio was back, they could lose everything. Their money, their lives, their kids.

Unwillingly, Beth’s mind replayed the last encounter with Rio a couple months ago. The way the gun had felt in her hand, heavy and cool. A threat and a promise at the same time. Despite the safety in her hand, she knew Rio was playing a dangerous game. Only she couldn’t figure out which one.“Finish what you started, hun.” His voice was sandpaper against her heart. Beth shivered at the memory.

“You think it’s them?” Annie asked, pulling Beth back into reality.

“I don’t know,” she sighed. “I don’t know. Maybe it was just a random car.”

“And what if it wasn’t?” Ruby asked. “Stan and I are just starting to talk again, I can’t lose him again.”

“I thought gang friend said we were even?” Annie tilted her head in confusion. “Why would he suddenly change his mind?”Beth shrugged, swallowing the lie she’d told them months ago. They couldn’t know she’d shot him. “Have you met Rio? Maybe he’s decided he’s not finished with us after all.” Ruby’s shoulders sagged as she let out a breath. At the sight of her friend’s defeated expression, anger nestled in Beth’s stomach. Who did Rio think he was, toying with them like they were pieces on his board?

“So what do we do? Beat his ass?” Annie searched Beth’s face for guidance. What she didn’t see was the guilt churning through her sister’s body. This was Beth’s fault. She’d insisted on becoming a part of Rio’s team, it had been her idea to turn him in. They were in this because of her. But this meant, she could also get them out of their predicament.

Beth straightened her back, bringing her hands down on the counter in front of her. She had been pushed around enough in her life, it was time to take control. It was time to fight back, fear had been leading them for too long already. 

As her hands pressed harder against the marble, she said, “Let him come. He might be king but we all know the queen rules the board.” 

***

The weekend before Christmas Day a package laid on Beth’s doorstep. Dean had picked the kids up several hours earlier to take them to the circus that had come to town, and Beth had decided this was the perfect time to treat herself. Her nails hadn’t been done in what felt like an eternity and she missed the lasting smoothness of a waxing. This was her Christmas present to herself. Everything for the children had been bought already so she knew there was a little bit of money left over. Technically it’d be wise to save it for next month when bills would inevitably roll in but to hell with it. She _deserved_  to be pampered. And who knows, maybe she’d even go on a date afterwards. Tinder was freshly installed on her phone - courtesy of Annie - and basically screaming to be used.

But Beth’s plans were cancelled immediately as she stepped outside the door and caught sight of the brown wrapped parcel. In bold capital letters her name was sprawled on the top. Instinctively she checked the street - no black car in sight, but she knew it had to be from Rio. Her mind raced as she picked it up and brought it inside. It couldn’t be fake cash, the package was too small and it was too risky to leave on her front door. Same for drugs or anything else incriminating.

Before her nerves took the upper hand, Beth fished a knife out of the drawer and slid it down the middle of the box and tearing the paper away.

A bomb.

What if it was a bomb? She remembered watching a documentary about the serial killer who’d murdered his unassuming victims by post. 

No, too messy. Rio wasn’t one for theatrics. If he wanted her dead, he’d show up with a gun. Clean and simple.

Beth took a deep breath and flipped the box open. An abrupt scream escaped her, her hand raised halfway to her mouth, unable to reach it in time to swallow the noise. A bloody, dead rat stared back at her with open eyes. On the side was a card written in the same sloppy handwriting as her name that read: “Snitches get stitches”.

 

When the children and Dean returned in the evening, Beth hugged her little ones tight, pressing her freshly manicured hands against their backs. If Rio thought a little blood could scare her, he’d clearly never heard about menstruation.

“Mummy, we saw a woman swallow flames!” Emma told her.

“And knives,” Kenny piped up.

“Oh really? How about we go inside and you can tell me all about it?” Beth ushered them through the doorway but blocked it as soon as Dean stepped up. “Thank you for taking the kids out. See you next week.” She turned around but Dean’s pleading voice reached her before she could get far.

“Beth, please, wait. I got you something.” That drew her attention. A gift wasn’t going to change her mind about her tool of a husband, but she also wouldn’t turn it down. Especially if it was jewellery.

She looked back at him and the small box he was holding out like a lifeline. His lower lip stuck out in what could only be described as a pout. God, how had she married such a child? “You think a gift is going to fix everything?” She raised her eyebrows at him.

“No, of course not,” he shook his head vehemently. “It’s just… It’s Christmas.” He stretched his arm out even further, the wrapping paper’s white snowflakes were sparkling under the front-porch light. “Merry Christmas.”

Beth took it. “Goodbye, Dean.” He held her gaze for a moment longer before nodding and turning away. 

***

“Everyone go to the bathroom before we go, we’ll be on the road for a while,” Beth had barely finished her sentence as the kids raced each other to the car. With a sigh, Beth picked up their bags and walked out to the car. The last slivers of sunlight were disappearing behind the neighbours’ house and a cold wind blew through her coat as she stowed the bags away in the car trunk. She was already regretting her decision to spend Christmas at her parents’ house. But with the black car that had been trailing her every move and the package, she’d thought it’d be the safest option. This way she wouldn’t be eaten with worry and might actually have a chance to enjoy Christmas.

Their first Christmas without Dean.

One after another her children came running out. “You can’t beat me,” Kenny yelled as he raced Danny to the car. A smile spread out on Beth’s face. They were so happy, carefree. They had no idea why they were driving hundreds of miles on Christmas Eve to spend Christmas with grandma. And if Beth had anything to do with it, they never would.

“Where’s Auntie Annie?” Emma asked with wide eyes.

“She’s going to meet us there, honey,” Beth said and opened the door for her. Greg and his wife were taking Sadie to their own parents, silently excluding Annie from their celebration. She’d been furious when Annie had first told her, crying on Beth’s couch. It wasn’t fair. If it hadn’t been for her sister’s protest, Beth would’ve called that asshole and given him hell.

Beth jogged up to the front door to lock it and rushed back to the car. Despite organising everything days in advance, they were still running late. Her mum’s mocking words were already in Beth’s ears.

“Everyone buckle up,” she said as she put the key into the ignition.

“Can we listen to the Christmas CD?” Emma asked.

“No, I hate that one,” Danny exclaimed, his voice horrified.

“We can put it on a little bit later, okay? Let’s get on the road first.” Beth brought the car to life. But her foot had barely touched the gas pedal when the engine shut off. Repressing her irritation, Beth turned the key again. Nothing happened. The kids’ arguing about who had the best superpower in the incredibles, faded into the background. Beth turned the key again. And again. And again.

Nothing. Except now there was smoke rising from the hood, curling in slow wafts towards the sky. This couldn’t be good. A curse laid on her tongue but Beth swallowed it.

“Mummy is just going to check on the car,” she said. Robotically, she unfastened her seatbelt and got out. Dread had gripped her chest. _I_ _t’s a coincidence. A simple coincidence._  Beth told herself. Cars broke down all the time. Either she’d fix it or they’d get a rental - easy.

Beth scraped the former when she opened up the hood. She didn’t know a lot about cars but something looked certainly fried. Yet, the charred metal dropped the stone from her chest. The car breakdown wasn’t staged. Rio wasn’t involved.

But now she had a different problem. Who lend rentals on Christmas Eve?

 

“Annie?” Beth asked. “Yeah, it’s me.” She had been on the phone for the past half an hour, trying to her best to find a rental car. No luck. The shops were either closed or fully booked. 

“Are you on your way yet?” Beth closed the hood of her car with one hand, while she held the phone to her ear with the other.

In the background footsteps rushed across a squeaking wooden floor, protesting at the weight. “Uhh, yeah, I left like fifteen minutes ago.”

Beth called her bullshit immediately. “Can you pick us up? The car broke down and I can’t get a rental.”

“Sure, I’ll turn around right now.” A door slammed and Beth could hear keys jangle. “You could also steal a car from Dean,” Annie suggested. “Merry Christmas to him.”“He changed the lock since our last stunt, and I’m not gonna call him and grovel. He’d end up inviting himself along.”

“Maybe he and our parents would cancel each other out, two negatives and all that.” A familiar beep and the slam of a door informed Beth that Annie had made it to her car.

Beth didn’t even try to encrypt her comment. “Just get here, please. I don’t want to be driving the whole night,” she said. But that barely scratched the surface of her worries. She couldn’t ruin the first Christmas she had alone with her kids. She wouldn’t.

She opened the car’s backdoor. “Auntie Annie is coming to pick us up, so why don’t we go and wait inside?”With mild complaints the children shuffled out of the car and followed Beth back into the house. “You can put on the TV while you wait. But no fighting,” Beth told them as she walked past them to the kitchen. If she wasn’t going to be driving, she might as well have a drink. 

After dropping her winter coat over one of the barstools, she got the bottle of red wine out of the fridge and poured herself a glass. She’d only taken a sip, the familiar warmth hugging her from the inside out, when something crashed against the backdoor.

Beth jerked up, almost dropping the glass in her hand. Thankfully, she hadn’t poured much or it’d have gotten all over her clothes. With careful movements, she put the wine down and exchanged it with a knife.

She crept up to the door. Someone pushed down the handle but the door didn’t budge. Beth had locked it as a precaution for their little Christmas holiday. She didn’t want anybody robbing the place while they were gone or god forbid, Dean trying to get back on her good side by fixing things that didn’t need fixing to begin with.

All too aware of her kids in the next room, Beth took a deep breath. Her kids would never listen to her if she yelled at them to go upstairs, the tv was far too entertaining. In addition, the backdoor wasn’t sturdy, whoever wanted to get in would get in. It was only a matter of time. She needed to have the advantage, she could surprise them, maybe overtake them. Last week she had gone on a self-defence video binge and in her opinion, she’d become halfway decent. She knew what to aim for at least (apart from the obvious southern parts).

The knife aimed at the door, she brushed the curtain away with the other hand. Despite the darkening sky, she recognised the guy immediately. Rio was leaning against the door, one arm propped up to steady himself. Only at second glance did she notice the blood smeared across the window. She drew in a sharp breath and lowered the knife.

As she opened the door, words tumbled out of her mouth without a greeting. “What the hell happened to you?”

“Hello, sweetheart.” Rio’s familiar husky voice sent jolts through her but it did little to calm her. He barely looked at her as he stumbled into her kitchen, towards one of the barstools. Beth rushed to his aid, holding one of his arms and guiding him. To her surprise he didn’t protest. This was bad. Really bad.

“What happened?” She repeated, putting more force behind her words. That got his attention.

“You just worry about stitching me up. The rest is none of your concern,” he said with an unreadable look on his face. If it was for the bruises on his face, she wouldn’t have guessed there was anything wrong with him. But as Beth studied him, sitting ever so slightly hunched over in her barstools, she noticed more and more cuts and bruises. Unease spread in her stomach like mould.

“You show up at my house looking like a bulldozer rolled over you, I think I have a right to know what happened.” She crossed her arms, trying to control the emotions swirling through her. She couldn’t possibly be worried about the guy that had almost ruined her life. She also most definitely wasn’t excited to see him. The thrill his presence promised couldn’t touch her, not at all.

“Less you know the better.”

Beth huffed but didn’t protest. She knew he wasn’t going to tell her if he didn’t want to. “Well you can’t stay here, we were about to leave. Whatever you want it’ll have to wait until we’re back.”

“You think -“ He doubled over, barely catching himself on the counter.

“Mummy? Annie is here,” Danny yelled. Beth eyes darted to the doorway and back to Rio. He was clutching his side, his face askew in pain. She had never seen him like this. Some small part of her was amazed that he even could hurt, he’d been invincible in her mind.

“Okay, I’ll be right there,” Beth shouted back before lowering her voice to a whisper. “Don’t you dare move. My kids are out there.” He flicked his eyes up at her and something in them told Beth he understood. He wouldn’t disturb them.

Beth rushed out to the living room. “Come on, let’s turn the TV off, Auntie Annie is here.” She hurried Kenny and Emma towards the front door, where Annie was talking animatedly to Danny.

“Thank God you’re here. You have to get them to Mum’s,” Beth said.

Annie looked up at her. “Wait, you’re not coming?”

“You’re not coming, Mummy?” Emma asked as she put on her jacket.

“Of course, I am, sweetie. I just have to take care of a few things here first. Someone has to let Santa know we won’t be here and put out some cookies for him, don’t you think?”

Emma nodded earnestly. “Okay.”

“Why don’t you go along to the car, Auntie Annie will be right there.” Beth watched her kids walk out before she turned to her sister. “I promise I’ll be there. I’m going to find a rental, don’t worry. We wouldn’t all fit into your car anyway.”

Annie narrowed her eyes at her. “You better be or Mum will destroy me and your kids will be stranded with her.”

“We don’t want that to happen.”

“Oh no, we don’t,” Annie smiled but then her expression turned serious. “Hey, whatever is going on, be careful, alright?”

Beth forced a laugh. “Nothing is going on, I just forgot a Christmas present and I don’t want the kids to see it. Emma still believes, you know, I can’t rob her of the magic during the first Christmas without her dad.”

Annie nodded and turned but Beth wasn’t sure she had swallowed the lie. It didn’t matter now. She needed to get back to the kitchen before Rio passed out.

“I’ll see you soon.” Annie raised her hand in goodbye. Against her nature, Beth didn’t watch them drive off before she shut the door.

As she walked back into the kitchen, Rio was bend over the sink with a whiskey bottle in one hand and a kitchen towel in the other.

“Are you out of your mind? I told you not to move.” Beth crossed the distance between them and grabbed the things out of his hands. He’d barely even made it to the stool, what made him think he could stand up?

“You still got that smart mouth, huh?” He could pretend to be fine all he wanted but Beth noticed the way he was leaning on the sink. His body was in no shape for jokes.

“I’m not letting you get blood all over my kitchen, get to the bathroom.” When he didn’t move, she elaborated, “Through there, second door on the left. I’ll have to grab my stitching supplies.”

He followed her directions without protests, which -if the marks on his body weren’t enough- was definite proof he wasn’t feeling particularly rosy. Grabbing some needles and thread from the craft-desk Dean had gotten her so long ago, she hurried after Rio, whiskey still in hand.

Thankfully, the window in the bathroom had curtains or the neighbours would’ve gotten a good look at the bloody man currently sitting on her toilet lid. Beth put the supplies down and went to wash her hands.

“You done this before?”

“You left your gang friend in my daughter’s bed, remember? Someone had to take care of him.” She turned to him. “Take off your shirt.”

“You sweet-talking me?” He asked. “I gotta say this isn’t quite what I imagined. No candles? No music?” He gave her another grin before he slowly unbuttoned his shirt, one small button at a time. 

Beth could only stare at him. Both at the audacity he had to suggest that she was going to do anything but stitch him up, and the fact that Rio - the same Rio who had pointed a gun at her when they first met, who had threatened her life more than once - was currently sitting in her bathroom _shirtless_. But once her eyes travelled to his abdomen, she snapped out of her contemplation. Two large cuts crossed his chest. The longer, albeit thinner one started close to his heart, stretched diagonally across his body and only stopped right before a tattoo of a rose, which reached below his pants. The other cut was smeared in blood, definitely a deeper wound. If Beth had to guess a knife hadn’t just cut him but been buried in his lefthand side.

“Told you, this shit’s medieval, darlin”.” 

Beth nodded, any attempt at a reply got stuck in her throat. What he really needed was an ambulance not someone who’d learned to stitch up a wound on the internet. He was most likely bleeding internally. But Beth knew better than to suggest anything remotely close to a hospital. The _king_  wouldn’t take the risk. Beth grabbed a fresh towel from a cabinet under the sink and ran it under the top water. 

“I’ve only done this once,” she said, kneeling down in front of him. His jaw tightened as he gave her a single nod. With gentle motions, she wiped the two main cuts - for now the other ones over his arms and face could be ignored. 

His muscle twitched underneath her fingers but he didn’t complain. Beth worked quick, after all she had a painful Christmas to get to.

Next came the whiskey. Before she poured it on his wounds however, she granted herself some of the liquid courage. Rio’s throat bobbed, the eagle tattoo moving with it. He reached for the bottle as soon as she'd set it down and took a couple of gulps, a soft sigh escaping his lips.

“Don’t scream,” she warned as she held the bottle over the first cut.

He smirked. “Usually ladies tell me the opposite.” Beth poured the whiskey over his chest in response. Rio flinched but didn’t say a word. How often had he done this? There were several scars scattered all over his body so it was fair to assume he was well versed in being stitched up. “Do you not have someone else to do this for you?”

“There was, yeah, ain’t none of your business, tho.” Beth repressed the irritation at his sudden change of mood, this was Rio for you.

“I’m literally stitching you up, so it sure as hell is my business. You could have internal bleeding for all we know, I don’t want you dying in my house.”

“He got killed tonight, a’right? They cut him down.” Instead of directing his gaze away from her like people usually did when they spoke about sensitive topics, he stared straight at her. Beth knew he didn’t want her condolences so swallowed them right down.

“Who’s they?”

“You don’t wanna know.” Unfortunately Beth had to agree with him on this one. It was probably better if she didn’t.

“Don’t you have guns for this sort of thing?” She asked.

“Guns don’t work if they stab you in the back.”

Beth nodded as if that was a perfectly reasonable answer and went back to work. With steady hands she slipped the thread through the needle, it only began to shake as she neared his skin. Wordlessly, Rio held the bottle out for her. She took another sip. She could do this. There was nothing to be afraid of.

“Come on, I ain’t gonna bite,” Rio said. “Unless you want me to.”

“In your dreams.” Beth pressed her fingers against the wound, holding it shut while she pierced the skin. It was strangely similar to sewing a shirt hole, only this fabric had more resistance. The familiar rhythm of stitching quickly took over and for a moment Beth forgot she wasn’t merely patching ripped pants.

As she moved close to the end of the cut, Rio groaned, ripping her out of her focus. His arms were propped up, his hands clenched around the sink on one side and the windowsill on the other. “I’m sorry,” Beth said. “I’ll hurry up.”

 

Once she’d bandaged the cuts, she rose, her knees screaming in protest. She stretched as she fished her phone out of her jeans. Now that Rio wasn’t about to die anymore - or at least not in the next hour - her kids took over the number one spot on her priority list again.

“What are you doing?” Rio asked.

“Searching for rental companies. The car broke down and I need a new one so at least one parent will be with the kids on Christmas.” She scrolled past the purple google entries, searching for companies she hadn’t called up already.

“What about your husband? What’s his name again?”

“Dean.”

Rio repeated the name with that perpetual smirk embedded to his face that Beth could never quite figure what it meant. “That’s right. You two no longer playing happy couple, then?”

“What do you care?” She shot back, fed up with him leading the conversation.

Instead of a reply, he led his gaze up and down her body in a way that had heat shooting up to her chest. The muscles in his jaw clenched. “You can have my car,” he said eventually.

Beth wasn’t sure she’d heard right. “Your car?”

“Black Mercedes. I parked around the corner.” He dug through his left pocket. A moment later a black key along with a tag dangled from his fingers. “Take it.”

Beth obeyed. “You can stay if you want to,” she offered, unsure how to respond to a considerate Rio.

“Nah, one of my guys gonna pick me up.”

“So why did you come here then?” His gang friends could’ve patched him up just fine, no reason to bring Beth into it. So why had he? What game was he playing?

“I needed a place to hide while my guys secured another location.” Hiding barely seemed like his style, but then, Beth had also never seen him this beat before. “You should go, see your kids.” There was a shine to his eyes she couldn’t quite place but Beth didn’t question it. He had given her his car, she figured she shouldn’t push her luck.

With a last look at him, she stood up. His brown eyes watched her lazily and even this little gesture set her stomach in flames. She would never understand the effect he had on her.  All she knew was that this right here, the adrenaline, the stitching Rio up, it was the most alive she had felt since…

Since they’d laundered money for him.

Beth was repelled by the thought but it didn’t stop her next one:

Maybe she needed this.

***

When Beth came back from their little Christmas vacation two days later, a present  with her name on the tag was waiting on the kitchen counter. There was only one person who could’ve sneaked it in here while she was gone.

Rio.


	2. New Year's Eve

“Whose car is this?” Dean pointed over his shoulder at the black Mercedes parked right in front of Beth’s house. Almost a week had passed since Christmas, New Years Eve was fast approaching, and Beth wondered if Rio would ever pick it up or if she was supposed to dump it somewhere.

“I don’t know. The neighbours must be having visitors.” Beth turned to check on her kids. They were chatting amongst themselves, pretending like they had all the time in the world. Beth repressed a sigh.

“Why would they park in front of our house?” She didn’t miss his use of “our”, as if they weren’t getting a divorce. But Beth merely shrugged. Who parked in front of _her_  house was none of his business.

“Is it bounce-house guy? Is he back?” Dean continued. “Did you forget what he did to me, Beth? You’re letting such a guy be around our kids?” She couldn’t believe the presumptuousness he possessed to think he had any right to tell her how to raise her children. Especially since he wasn’t an angel himself either.

Beth narrowed her eyes and took a step closer to him, her voice lowered to a whisper. “Even if he were, it is none of your business. I could be screwing him on the kids’ breakfast dishes and it still wouldn’t be any of your business. Who enters this house is my responsibility and my responsibility only, do you understand me?” The kids stormed past them towards Dean’s car and Beth quickly brought distance between them. “I told you I don’t know whose car it is, as long as it’s gone in a couple of days I’m not going to complain to the neighbours.”

Dean looked dumbstruck but hurried to nod. “I will bring the kids back on the second?”

“Sure, you can just text me the details.” Beth straightened and waved at her kids. “Have fun everyone. I love you!”

She didn’t give Dean a chance to say goodbye before she shut the door in his face. Was she being petty? Yes, but he deserved it. Cheating on her with his secretary no less, faking cancer when he knew her grandma had succumbed to the same. Despite the perfume he'd given her for Christmas, he hadn’t earned her forgiveness. It would take more than a bottle of scented water. But while she might learn to forgive him, she knew her decision on a divorce wouldn’t change. Their marriage was done, and there was nothing that he could do to change her mind.

Hopefully, Dean realised this.

***

“Sadie and I are going to stay in and order pizza. I think it’s finally time to introduce her to _Die Hard_ ,” Annie said, dangling her legs over the armchair. Her teal-lined eyes rested on the ceiling.

“Stan has agreed to spend the New Year’s with the kids and I, finally.” Ruby smiled.

“He’s coming around after all. Before you know it, you can move back in with them,” Annie said. Their friend’s face dropped instantly. Beth cursed internally. The fact that Ruby that she was living separate from her children was still a sore spot. Understandably so. Even with everything Dean had pulled, Beth couldn’t bring herself to refuse him to see the children on a regular basis. Never-mind that the sudden loss of their dad wouldn’t do any good for her little ones either. But Stan hadn’t wanted to hear any of it, no matter how often Beth had called. Eventually she had to let it rest, annoying him was going to hurt their relationship.

“Dean is going to spend New Year’s with the kids. It was only fair since they spend Christmas with us,” Beth said. A weak attempt at changing the topic, doomed to fail before it had even left her mouth.

“Sometimes I wonder if it was worth it,” Ruby mumbled, her eyes fixed on the table but glazed over in a way that meant her thoughts were miles away. “For Sara I’d do it a hundred times over but was there really no other way for us? Maybe I could’ve picked up a second job, promoted the gofundme more…”

“You did the right thing,” Beth assured her. “There was no other way to pay for her medicine or the kidney, even a hundred bake sales would never have helped, and one day Stan will realise this, too. You just need to give him a little bit more time, men are stubborn.”

“I sure as hell don’t regret it,” Annie said and took a sip of the whiskey in her hand. “The scumbag had to close his store because of us. I guess Jessica Alba will have to pay for the wedding now.”

There was a moment of silence, each of them trapped in their own thoughts, and for a second Beth considered telling them about Rio. About the car she’d now parked around the corner, about his gift. But if she told them about that, she’d have to uncover the lies she’d told them so many months ago and right now she couldn’t take another fight. Not this year.

As soon as the night was over and they’d slept off their future hangovers, Beth would tell them. Or was involving them selfish? After all, Ruby was still on thin ice with Stan and Annie was, well, she was Annie; she always pulled through somehow. But Beth knew the last couple months hadn’t been easy on her either, trying to find another job that wouldn’t cost her any more of her dignity. If Beth told her about Rio, Annie would beg her to get back into the business. The ease of money laundering already kissed Beth’s own skin. Feather-like trails made of thrills and crime spread all the way into her belly, creating a longing not unlike the one she’d once felt for Dean. Yet, if she involved Annie she had to ask Ruby too, and knowing about their activities was almost as bad as participating. No, it was best if she kept Rio’s reappearance a secret. They didn’t need to know.

***

“My friend is throwing a party, do you want to come?” Ten minutes had passed since Beth had read the tinder message but she still wasn’t able to answer. Did she want to go? While a party sounded a million times better than her scheduled evening of wine, Grey’s and self-pity, she didn’t know how to respond. What kind of people would be there? Was this a date? Did she really want to surround herself with strangers and get wasted on New Year’s Eve? Weren’t those times supposed to be long behind her?

There was no doubt that 42-year old Luke was an attractive guy with his broad shoulders and the five o’clock shadow that reminded Beth mildly of George Clooney’s better times. But how could she judge what was behind the screen with only a couple messages? For all she knew he could be a total freak in real life. Of course, there was always the possibility that he wasn’t. That instead he’d say all the right things, make her blush with all the right words and eventually kiss her with all the right pressure.

Annie’s words from back when they’d been rifling through a dumpster came back to her. She needed to get laid. Every time Rio burned through her with his eyes, her body heated up as if she’d been lit on fire. Beth couldn’t take it anymore. She needed to set her mind straight. If Luke played his cards right tonight, he could be the lucky one to do exactly that.

Before Beth could change her mind, she unlocked her phone and typed a reply: “Count me in. When and where?” She got up as she sent it, headed for the bathroom. The evening was fast approaching and she’d barely bothered with make-up today. There was a lot to do.

 

When she emerged admits a cloud of perfume into the bedroom an hour later, she’d not only given herself dark smokey eyes (a more polished version of the kind she used to wear to clubs back in the day) but also curled her hair into loose waves. Now came the more difficult part: finding something to wear. She had a couple nice dresses which she’d worn to the few business parties Dean had had. But beyond those, her wardrobe was severely limited. Looks had been traded for comfort a long time ago.

Eventually, she settled on a classic black one. The floor length skirt characterised it as formal but Beth figured anything above knee would just make her seem like a try-hard. Although she’d realised she needed to get laid, it didn’t mean she need others to know this too.

As she wriggled into the skintight dress in front of the mirror, a slit on its left side fell open, and Beth could only stare at herself. She’d forgotten all about the opening in the years the garment had rested in her wardrobe. It didn’t just help elongate her legs, it also most certainly made it fit for a party.

Beth smiled and adjusted the fabric around her cleavage, making the V-neck a bit more revealing. She had to show off her assets after all. Absentmindedly, her eyes drifted to the dresser. The necklace Rio had gifted her was laying on top. The exact same model she’d bought herself when their money laundering business had taken off. The very one she’d been forced to return so they wouldn’t all end up in prison. And now it was casually placed on her dresser as if it had no past at all. As if the guy who’d gifted it to her wasn’t the biggest enigma she’d ever encountered. Threatening her one second and leaving her gifts the next.

The past couple of days Beth had thought a lot about what Rio’s goal was. Because he had to have one. He didn’t do anything without intention. So why gift her something if he clearly didn’t like her? Why bother coming all the way to her house just to play Santa? Did he feel like he had to repay her for crashing her Christmas? But then why had he given her his car? Whatever long-term game he was playing, Beth couldn’t figure it out for the life of her, not matter how much she chewed it over and over in her head.

Nevertheless, the necklace was wasted on the dresser. She picked it up and lifted then ends behind her neck. It rested on her chest in a golden cascade, the end disappearing into a place even the V-neck didn’t reveal. It was stunning.

With one last appreciative look in the mirror, she headed downstairs. Grabbing the Mercedes keys - no way was she going to show up in the family car to a potential date - she opened the door.

A package was laying on her porch. The same brown wrapping, again her name written on the front. Beth eyed it for a moment, almost expecting it to explode in her face. It didn’t. With a sigh, she picked it up and threw it on the living room table. She wasn’t going to let Rio manipulate her like this. Petty threats wrapped in packages wouldn’t scare her.

Pulling her coat from the rack, she stepped outside and shut the door behind her with a bang.

 

A couple hours later, Beth stumbled back in through the same door, alone. To call the night a disaster would’ve been an understatement. It turned out the guy wasn’t a fan of kids, despite her visibly mentioning her little ones in her profile to ward off anyone who didn’t see themselves fit to interact with them. “Just because you have kids doesn’t mean we can’t have a bit of fun, ey?”

He’d whispered in her ear, simultaneously tightening the arm around her waist, drawing her even closer as if her left side wasn’t already buried in his frame. Yes, she needed to get laid but she wasn’t going to give up her standards for it.

“Happy New Year,” she thought grimly. With a sigh, she stripped off her heels, leaving them by the front door. She switched the light on as she absentmindedly threw her coat over the sofa.

“You not gonna hang that up?”

Beth screamed. Rio was sitting in the same armchair Annie had sat in earlier, his arms resting on his legs. His eyes bore into hers. At any other time the intensity in them would’ve lit a fire in her, but she was ready to crawl into bed and sleep until the memory of tonight had faded into nothingness.

“Christ.” She took a deep breath. “Next time, turn the light on, yes?” Seeing him sit there like this in the dark, like he was completely at ease dominating the situation, brought up unwanted memories in Beth. Dean covered in blood, struggling to even stay upright. He’d come home that night looking for her. It’d been her fault he’d been there. If she’d stayed in the hospital, even just to flip him off, he wouldn’t have run after her. He’d have seen they were over then and there. But Beth had always had somewhat of a temper and that night it’d snapped. And not just once.

“Care to explain this?” He pushed the package Beth had brought in earlier towards her. It was open now. The smell of decay told her all she needed to know. Another threat, another dead animal.

“Me? Why don’t you tell me what it means? You’re the one who’s been sending them.”

“You think this was me?” Rio laughed. “Anonymous threats ain’t my style, you know that.” He was right. Now that he pointed it out, she felt stupid for ever believing it was him. The first time she’d met Rio, he’d been threatening her. He wasn’t one to let anyone, _anything_ , speak for him. How had she forgotten that?

“Well, if it wasn’t you then who was it? I can’t think of another gang I pissed off.”

Rio’s eyes turned down to the package, realisation flickering across his face, but he didn’t say anything.

Beth crossed her arms. “Who was it, Rio?”

“It don’t matter.” He stood up. “My keys.”

“Don’t tell me it doesn’t matter. Whoever is sending them, is sending them to my house. They’re targeting me.”

He buried his hands in his hoodie, drawing them close to his chest. “When you turned me in, another gang took over my territory.”

“Then shouldn’t they be kissing my feet for turning you in?” The words were out of her mouth before Beth could stop them.

Rio’s eyes narrowed. “Nobody likes a snitch.”

Beth didn’t know how to respond. A part of her wanted to apologise, but she wasn’t sorry. She had been protecting her kids and she’d do it all over again for them.

“No hard feelings, ey,” Rio said, a smile like venom on his lips. “You wanted to play the game, you got what you wanted.”

“So you’re not gonna do anything?” She asked, her voice exasperated.He shrugged. “They send it to you, so the way I see it, it’s your problem.”

Beth tried not to panic at the thought of another gang keeping tabs on her, watching her. At the thought a switch flipped in her mind, sending it into crisis mode. Damage control. “But the gang is your problem to right? If they bother someone like me, then who else are they threatening? And then how long will it take for someone higher up than me to switch sides and make your whole operation crumble to the ground?”

“You forgetting something, sweetheart: my people are loyal.”

“Until they’re not.”

His eyes darted towards the package for a moment before landing back on her. “My keys.”

Beth straightened. He was going to have to deal with the gang one way or another. Letting them roam around in his territory like this was costing him more respect every second they were in it. He couldn’t ignore them. “I want to be in when you take them down,” she said. They were only threatening her now, but who was to say they wouldn’t go after Annie or Ruby next? And certainly, petty packages weren’t their endgame. There was something much darker on the horizon and the only way to be certain that they wouldn’t mess with her again was to stare into their eyes as they destroyed them. A twisted sense of anticipation filled her at the thought.

Rio laughed in her face. “What you gonna do, run to the FBI? That worked out well for you last time.”

“I do whatever you say,” Beth said, not letting his teasing get to her.

“And I’m supposed to take your word for it?”

Beth’s gaze didn’t waver. “My kids are in danger. I’ll do whatever is necessary to protect them.”

His head tilted to the side. He was silent for a moment. “After this, we done. We take them down and then you leave, go back to playing happy little family.”

“That’s all I want,” Beth said, knowing as soon as the words left her lips that she was lying.

His serious expression transformed into a lopsided grin as his eyes travelled down her body, pausing at her chest. Whether it was because he recognised the necklace he gave her or for an entirely different reason, Beth couldn’t say. “ You dressed up. Did your lady friends take you partying?”

“Not quite,” Beth mumbled, suddenly very interested in tidying the living room. She picked up up her coat and hung it over the rack.

“A date?”

Beth shrugged as she turned around. His stare made her feel like a teenager again, being interrogated about how she spend her nights. Not that she’d been out much as a teen. The times before she’d grown into her body had been tough on her social life.

A flicker of what might have been jealousy passed over his face before he spread his lips into a smile. “What’d you say, we crack open a bottle of red, pour our hearts out to each other.”

“Shut up,” Beth said as tiredness trickled back into her mind. “If there’s nothing else you have to say, I have a bed waiting for me.” She reached for her purse and fished his keys out.

“Thank you,” she said, making sure to meet his eyes. Somehow it was important to her that he knew she meant it.

He plucked the keys from her outstretched hand. Fingertips brushed against the inside of her hand and she wished they’d stay to paint a picture, but Rio had already turned to leave.

“Happy New Year, Elizabeth.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all of your comments on the last chapter, they gave me life.  
> As always, support in form of kudos and comments is highly appreciated - boosts my motivation like nothing else tbh
> 
> Next chapter will be up on January 2. This one will start with a Rio scene ;)  
> See you soon my frends


	3. New Year's Day

Beth groaned as the sound of the doorbell rang through the house. She turned over in her bed, throwing a glance at the clock. 7.24 am. Who even got up this early on New Year’s day? Wasn’t everyone hungover? 

The doorbell rang once more. Beth sat up. She had a feeling whoever it was wasn’t going to drop it. With a sigh, she stood up and grabbed a robe from the hook on the door. She hurried down the stairs, slipping her arms through the sheer fabric before tying it around her waist. 

Beth dragged a hand through her tousled hair and opened the door with the other. Rio greeted her, dressed in the same black hoodie he so often wore, a grey beanie pulled over his head. “Get dressed, we’re going out.”

“Going where? It’s New Year’s Day, half the shops are closed,” Beth said, too late realising that wherever Rio planned to go wouldn’t be a place that bothered with business hours.

Rio walked past her into her house, drawing his phone out of his pocket. “You got ten minutes.”

After assuring herself there was no one on the street who could’ve seen them, Beth closed the door and turned around. “Will you tell me where we’re going?”

He sat down on the backrest of the sofa, typing something on his phone and ignoring her completely. It took Beth all her strength not to roll her eyes at him. Did he really have to demonstrate his position to her? She’d already told him she’d do as he asked. He was the boss, he had the power. Beth crossed her arms, refusing to give in. She wasn’t going to blindly follow him around. Had she not earned an ounce of respect from him by now?

Eventually, Rio sighed and looked up. “You gotta learn how to shoot a gun if you wanna play in the big league.” Beth nodded, silently pleased that she’d gotten him to answer.

“Eight minutes,” Rio told her, his eyes daring her to complain but Beth didn’t say a word. She simply turned around and climbed the stairs. And though she didn’t look back, she could’ve sworn his gaze lingered on her.

 

A short time later, Beth sat shotgun in Rio’s car on their way to a shooting alley. She’d barely woken up which didn’t help in making this not feel like a dream.  
Rio was silent on the drive, which Beth actually appreciated. It gave her the opportunity to sort through everything in her sleep-muddled brain. Last night, the date with Luke, talking herself into bringing down a gang and now, apparently, learning how to shoot.

When Rio turned them down less and less defined roads with trees growing closer and closer to her window, Beth’s alarm bells started ringing. “Where are we going?”

“To the woods.” Rio shot her a look out of the corner of his eyes. “I assumed you ain’t wanna be seen firing a gun on tape. No cameras here. And no one around to hear us either.”

“You’ve done this before?”

Rio shrugged. “I come here sometimes.” He didn’t elaborate what he meant by that and Beth wasn’t feeling bold enough to ask, so they went back to the familiar silence. 

Not long after though, Rio pulled the car to a stop. They were truly surrounded by bare trees now, the sun slowly climbing its way to their top. Twigs and leaves covered the earth without a clear path in sight. 

“Let’s walk a bit further in so you ain’t gonna hit my car,” Rio said as he headed deeper into the woods.

“My aim is not that bad,” Beth exclaimed, following him. “I’m pretty good at darts.” Less so when she’d had a couple drinks.

Rio smirked smugly. “We’ll see about that.” He halted in his steps, looked at the surrounding trees and then set off towards the widest one on his left, several feet away from where Beth was standing. He fished a switchblade out of his jeans pocket and scratched a small point into the tree’s bark.

“Hit this,” he said and walked back to her. He handed her a gun, startling her. She hadn’t even seen him get it out. Before she could hesitate any longer, she took it, her hands closing around the cold metal. Memories pushed themselves up from the sea of her subconscious, but she ignored them and cocked the gun.

“Spread your legs,” Rio said. Her head whirled toward him, eyes widened at his lewd demand. His throat bobbed as the double meaning of his words sunk in, the heat in her cheeks telling him exactly where her thoughts had gone. Yet he quickly recovered with a laugh and explained, “There’s gonna be a kick, you gotta be prepared or you’ll stumble.”

Beth did as she was told, trying to gain back control over her body temperature without success. She held both hands tightly around the gun, not on the trigger - she’d learned that much from movies.

“Whenever you’re ready, sweetheart,” Rio said, his eyes resting on her.

Beth aimed, took a deep breath and released it with the trigger. The bullet went straight past the tree. She cursed, the sound of the shot still ringing in her ears.

To her surprise, Rio didn’t laugh at her utter failure. He merely nodded and said, “You pulled your arm up, try keeping it steady.”

Beth nodded and lined the gun up once more. Aim, breath, squeeze. She missed again. Rio didn’t offer any help so she repeated the whole process. When the bullet actually grazed the tree, Beth cheered. 

But Rio didn’t seem to share her excitement. “Get into position again,” he ordered as he walked up to her. She obeyed. His hand reached out and lifted her arm as he peaked over her shoulder. “You want to line these two notches and the one at the tip up with each other.” He touched the little nibs on the gun’s top to demonstrate what he meant.

“They help you aim.” His proximity made her shiver, her body longing for his warmth. 

“Relax, you’re gripping it too tight.” His voice was low, focused.

Beth licked her lips and aimed the gun again, applying his advice. Rio stayed behind her as she pulled the trigger and watched the bullet burry itself in the tree. Not quite near the little hole he’d carved, but she’d hit the tree!

“Good,” Rio whispered, his head turned towards her. His lips hovered mere inches from her cheek. Beth was frozen, afraid that any movement she made would make them touch. 

Suddenly, Rio drew back. “Try again,” he said as he leaned against a nearby tree. His expression was indecipherable.

 

When Beth had fired all three rounds Rio had brought, changing her targets once she’d hit the little points, they left. Rio drove her home. As she got out of the car she offered a goodbye but he didn’t bother returning it before her drove off. Beth frowned in confusion, watching him drive off. Something had been different in him on the way back. Had he changed his mind about her involvement?

It was probably nothing, Beth told herself as she unlocked the front door. She pushed all thoughts of Rio out of her mind, she was overthinking again. What she needed was a nice long bath, maybe a book and some wine, candles… Take her mind off the gunshots still echoing in her ears, the throbbing pulsating through her arms.

***

A week later Beth’s life was once again ruled by normality. Rio had stayed away, her kids had gone back to school and she had returned to being an ordinary housewife. Yet, every time she opened the door she expected a package, and every time she came home, in her mind, she saw Rio lounging on her couch. The pretence of normality might be keeping her occupied, but her thoughts weren’t as easy to escape. (Not that she wanted to, with Rio and crime taking the centre stage.)

Sometimes it scared her how quick she’d been to embrace this new life and it made her wonder; if Annie and her had grown up in a different living situation, with less protective, christian parents would she have found herself on this road sooner?

The bright afternoon sun shone down on her as Beth pulled her car into the school’s parking lot. Across the lot she caught sight of Mary Pat loading her children into the car. After the thing with Boomer she’d mostly left them alone. Beth assumed she was blackmailing him now, which suited her just fine. Rio wouldn’t have tolerated her for much longer. She’d been a ticking time-bomb. Still was, but at least she’d stopped bothering them.

Beth got out of the car, purposely turning her back to Mary Pat, and walked towards the massive brick building. But before she’d even stepped foot on the school ground, she spotted Emma waiting by the gate with her best friend Sophie. Beth smiled at the sight of her little angel. That was until a man with tattoo covered arms stepped up to the two of them. Was he one of Rio’s men? Why would they be here, talking to her daughter? Beth’s steps quickened as she rushed towards the girls.

“Your mummy has done a bad thing,” he said, just as Beth reached them. 

“Hello, honey.” Beth protectively slung an arm around her daughter. Only then did she look up. The guy was a couple inches taller than her with a trimmed beard and deep sunken in eyes that sent a shiver through her body. The freezing look in them, not making her doubt for a second that he was capable of murdering them on the spot without so much as the blink of an eye.

That was when she knew: this wasn’t one of Rio’s guys. This was a member of the same gang she was helping bring down. And he was talking to her children. 

Terror gripped Beth’s heart.

“Can I help you?” She asked, her voice cool, the exact opposite of the scorching fright burning through her.

“The boss wants to meet you.” He handed her a plain business card with a time and an address written on it. “I assume I don’t need to mention what will happen if you don’t show up.” His eyes snapped to Emma for a second before landing back on her. It was all the warning she needed.

“I will be there,” Beth said and pocketed the card.

He gave her a tightlipped smile and buried his hands in his varsity jacket. “I thought so.” He nodded at them. “Enjoy your day.”

Beth didn’t say anything as she watched him walk away, only pressed Emma closer to her side. “Mummy? Is he your friend?”

“Something like that.” After he was out of her sight, she turned to Emma. “Let’s collect your siblings and get you home.” With a goodbye to Sophie, they turned and left the other girl at the gate, knowing that, right now, she’d be a thousand times safer not in Beth’s company.

 

During the drive home, Beth’s panic melted away, crisis management taking over. Houses flew past her, conversation turned to white noise in the background as her mind churned. What did the gang want from her? She didn’t have any money or any particular skills apart from crafting and lying. There was nothing she had to offer them, so why were they bothering with her?

The first thing she did when she got home was text Rio. “Emergency. Need to talk.” She was being deliberately cryptic, hoping this would get her a fast response. Indeed, she’d just picked up her dust wipe when the burner phone rang.

“What’s up?” Rio asked, his voice unusually tense.

“One of the gang’s members showed up at my kids’ school. He was threatening Emma.” Beth barely managed to swallow the lump of panic rising in her throat.

“So?”

Had he not heard her? “They threatened my kids, Rio. They aren’t supposed to get caught up in this.” Her voice was pitched high, her alarm revealing itself.

He laughed. “Oh, you thought you could just take down a gang without consequences?”

Beth was stunned into silence because yes, that was exactly what she’d thought. Finally, she said, “You’re not going to do anything?”

“You’ve got a gun now, use it.” Before she had a chance to hang up on him, he asked. “What did he want?” Beth’s mind flashed to the card in her coat-pocket, now hanging by the door. But something told her to keep it to herself. Rio was right. She had a gun now, she could take care of it herself. “Nothing. He only said that he’ll be back soon and if I was thinking of running I should think again or he’d do something to my kids.”

Rio hummed in thought. “If he stops by again, let me know. We haven’t been able to track ‘em down yet, but catch one and you catch ‘em all.” She could hear the grin in his voice but Beth wasn’t amused. Her kids were in danger.

She hung up on him.

***

The next day while the kids were at school, Beth installed cameras she’d ordered on amazon. The most noticeable one went on the front porch, a warning and a distraction for the smaller one she hid in the plant pot next to the _Welcome_ footmat. The rest she set up concealed near the backdoor and windows. No one would enter her house without her knowing about it.

***

“Are you sure about this? This weekend is technically yours,” Dean said, the inner corners of his eyebrows turned up.

“They spend most of their holidays with me. It’s only fair.” Beth threw a quick look at her wristwatch. If she wanted to make it to the meeting with the gang in time she’d have to leave soon.

“Do you have somewhere to be?”

Her head snapped up. “I do, actually.” Dean’s eyes widened in surprise at her honesty but he didn’t say anything. A second later the kids stormed past her, screaming their goodbyes.

“Are you bringing them to school on Monday, too?” Beth asked.

“Sure, if you want me to?”

Beth nodded. “That will make it easier for me to pick them up. It’s a shorter drive to the school than to your motel.”

Dean straightened, puffing his chest out. “I’m actually getting an apartment next month.” 

“That’s good for you.” At least he was taking their divorce seriously and not just as a temporary state. Considering how their last break had gone, this was huge progress.

“If you need anything, call me, yeah? No matter what it is.”

Beth nodded. “Thanks.” She wished him a good weekend, before saying goodbye and disappearing back into the safety of her home. Beth took a deep breath. There was a gang meeting she had to prepare for.

 

Before she left, Beth made sure to store her new handgun in her purse. The thought of using it sent a flood of fear through her. Was she really ready to shoot someone after a couple hours of practice? Nevertheless, the gun was going with her. She wasn’t naive enough to leave her only form of protection behind.

After forty-five minutes of driving, Beth finally reached the meeting point. She’d been too afraid to put the actual address into google maps, so instead she’d let it direct her to a nearby diner and figured out the last ten minutes of route with the help of dimly lit street signs.

Beth shouldered her bag as she got out of the car, mentally giving herself a pep talk. Despite their threats, she wasn’t worried about them discovering the gun. There had only been one guy at the school. Whoever was behind this operation clearly thought her weak enough to be intimidated by a couple tattoos not to attack him. They were underestimating her. They wouldn’t expect her to bring a gun to a simple meeting. Apparently you needed to do more than steal a car, launder money and expose a crime boss to the FBI to move into the big league. Or maybe you just needed to be a man. 

With confident steps, Beth walked up to the front door. Although her mind had already run through every possible scenario of what could be expecting her inside, somehow it hadn’t prepared for the reality.

A petite woman with hair spilling all the way down her back in soft waves, was flanked by several men all looking like they were either professional bouncers or straight up wrestlers. Beth swallowed at the sight but forced herself to keep walking. There was no going back.

“We meet. _Finally_ ,” the woman said, her accent not quite American but Beth couldn’t place her finger on the origin. European perhaps? The woman dropped her smile as she lifted a hand to her chest. “How terribly rude of me, I haven’t even introduced myself, no? I’m Delphine.”

“Beth Boland,” she told her, coming to a stop a safe distance away from the bodyguards.

Delphine brushed her off. “Yeah, yeah, let’s not waste time: I’ve got a proposition for you. You have ties to Rio, no?” The statement wasn’t so much of a question but more a test, Beth realised. They knew she’d rated him out, obviously she had a connection to him.

“Yes,” she said, hoping it was the right answer.

“I thought so.” Another smile spread out on Delphine’s face, sliming her hazelnut eyes to seeds. “No one betrays anyone they don’t have a personal vendetta against. So what was yours? Did he chop down a loved one? Were you two screwing and he dropped you for younger flesh?”

Beth considered telling her the truth for exactly 0.1 second before lying right in her face. “The latter.”

Delphine clapped, delighted. “I knew it. Was he good? I’ve been wanting a piece of that ass for a while but well, our interests don’t exactly align. Although I suppose that might make it better, never could say no to a bit of hate sex.” She winked at Beth but didn’t seem to expect an answer as she went on. “You must’ve heard some interesting things in your time with him, no? How much is your loyalty to him worth?”

Beth swallowed. Delphine wanted her to rat Rio out, that’s why she had sent those animals. She expected her to cave. Why would someone who’d betrayed Rio once not do it again? “There’s nothing I could tell you that the police don’t already know.” Delphine opened her mouth but Beth pressed on. “Give me two weeks and I will bring you something that’s worthy of your time.”

Delphine’s eyebrows perked up. “Perfect, I knew we’d get along,” she chirped. “My guys will get in touch with you next week and we’ll arrange a new meeting point.”

“Two weeks.” Beth made her voice as firm as possible. She couldn’t show any weakness.

Delphine’s face turned cold in an instant. “One week. Don’t try playing games with me, you’re on a very tight leash. Don’t make me choke you with it.”

 

Beth couldn’t remember the drive home. It should’ve concerned her but there were bigger worries than letting her subconscious stir the car. For starters, Beth had to figure out how to lie to Rio’s face and pretend like she wasn’t about to expose him to the rival gang. Dread mixed with aversion in her stomach. She felt sick. She didn’t want to betray Rio. The first time had almost killed her and she wasn’t sure she’d survive it a second time. Never-mind that, despite everything, he was still willing to work with her. Something Beth still couldn’t quite believe.

For a moment she had considered telling him everything. But while it might benefit their… alliance, Beth couldn’t be certain her family would get away unharmed. Delphine had made her threats very clear. 

As Beth stepped through the front door, she noticed a faint light coming from the kitchen. She didn’t bother taking off her coat; Rio was here.

“Nice cameras you got,” he said as she walked into the kitchen. “You stepping up your exterior design game? Looking to impress the neighbours?” He hopped off the kitchen counter seemingly with ease but Beth caught the way the muscles around his eyes pulled tight. The wounds she’d stitched up on Christmas’ Eve hadn’t completely healed yet.

“Why are you here?” There was no way he knew about her meeting with Delphine. It had barely been an hour. News of her betrayal wouldn’t reach him this fast. Unless of course, he’d been following her. Beth had assumed the black Mercedes she’d spotted belonged to the same person who’d send her the packages, but what if it wasn’t?

A laugh stumbled out of him as his eyes landed on her. “Relax hun, I’m not here to kill you.”  
She scoffed at him as if he hadn’t voiced her exact thoughts and busied herself with shaking off her winter jacket and throwing it over one of the bar chairs. 

“Did they threaten your kids again?” The lack of humour in his voice made her turn to him. She’d expected mock sympathy veiled in sarcasm, not a serious tone.

“No, no,” she brushed him off, eyes downcast. “I’m just tired. You surprised me, that’s all.” She walked to the cabinets, intending to grab a wine glass but she paused mid-air.

Despite everything that had happened in the past week, or maybe because of it, she didn’t crave alcohol. She’d need a clear mind if she wanted to sort through this mess before her kids came back on Monday. 

“You didn’t answer my question. What do you want, Rio?” She faced him, resting her hands on the counter. 

“You’ve got work to do. Or did you think you weren’t going to have to get your hands dirty?” Rio furrowed his brows, filling the space between them with creases.

“I knew what I was getting myself into,” she said. “What do you want me to do?”

He pulled his hands out of his pocket and put a torn piece of paper on the counter. An address was written on it in harsh letters. Beth wondered if that was his handwriting. “I need you to go to this address. It’s an art gallery, full of pretentious folk. You need to scout it.”

“Scout for what? Are you stepping up into art smuggling?”

Rio grinned at her, that one corner of his mouth rising higher than the other, teasing her. It infuriated her, made her feel inexperienced. “Why you think the cops couldn’t lock me up after you turned me in? You can’t be king only relying on money laundering, you see, gotta diverse your revenue stream.”

“So you’ve also been smuggling art.”

“Nah, Delphine is, though. If we wanna bring the gang down, I need to know what her assets are. So, you gotta go play fancy.”

“You know their leader?” A hint of jealousy sneaked into her voice even though Beth tried her best to keep it out. It was the way he’d said her name with a little awe, as if he respected - admired - her.

Rio smirked. His eyes stayed fixed on hers as he crossed the distance between with slow, teasing strides. “Are you jealous?” He asked, coming to a stop less than an arm’s length away from her.

“No,” Beth said flippantly, but the rest of her argument got stuck in her throat when she lifted her eyes to his. Amusement glimmered in them along with something else. A something Beth couldn’t quite identify but it made her skin feel charged with electricity.

Rio hummed, his mouth twitching. He was enjoying this, Beth realised, seeing her squirm, catching her lying. She crossed her arms defiantly.“No need for jealousy. Brunettes aren’t my type.” If his proximity hadn’t already raised her body temperature, the raspiness of his voice would’ve done it. It was a waterfall, the rush of his words falling down to where she was standing at the bottom, drowning in its stream. Subconsciously, she rubbed her thighs together.

“I’ll let you know what I find,” Beth said and lifted her chin.

Rio chuckled as he stepped away from her. “See you soon.” He turned towards the door but looked back over his shoulder to say, “If you trying to upgrade security on your place, get some motion sensors. That shit is a thousand times more subtle than those eyes you got.”

 

Two days later Beth installed motion sensors.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a bit late, sorry everyone. It was a tough one to write and the story derailed a little from what I had planned. Anyway, I made a Brio playlist to make up for it though. You can find it here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1J73yhj2TXIQ1HKJOHMb7j Enjoy! (I might keep adding stuff to it we'll see).
> 
>  
> 
> As always, your thoughts and comments are what gives me life, pls keep them coming.
> 
> Next chapter should be up around Valentine's Day, see u then ♡


	4. Valentine's Day

Beth woke up on the left side of the bed. This was strange because since Dean had moved out she mainly slept in the middle, making full use of the newly freed space by spreading out like a starfish. So it wasn’t too much of a surprise when she turned around and found a man lying on the other side, his face turned away from her.

What was a surprise was his buzzcut, black hair, the tattoos on the arm he’d slung over the blanket. There was only one person Beth knew with those looks. But it couldn’t be - could it? Had they -?

Where last night should be in her memory was a black hole. She’d gone to a bar for another tinder-date, her third one. The previous one had been a snooze-fest but this guy had had all sort of adventurous pictures up on his profile, from rock-climbing to scooba-diving and plain-old partying. Beth had taken that as a good sign. A blonde, dark-skinned party-popper, the embodiment of a fun time. So why wasn’t he next to her? 

Beth slowly slipped out a leg from the blanket, silently wincing as the cold air hit her. Only as she carefully sat up did she realise she was entirely naked. There was no doubt in her mind what had happened here yesterday night.

As she slung the bathrobe around her shoulders, Rio groaned. Beth didn’t dare to turn. He was waking up and she was sure he’d have no problem remembering last night because that was the sort of cruel humour the universe loved to unleash on innocent, tax-paying citizens.

“I’ll go downstairs and make some coffee. Please get dressed.” Without looking back, Beth left him in her bed and descended the stairs. Her mind was in a haze. This had to be a dream. There was no way, Rio - _Rio_  - was upstairs in her bed and the memory of their night together had completely evaporated. It simply wasn’t possible.

And yet, it was.

Beth had just finished preparing a latte to help her clear the fog in her head, when the doorbell rang. Her outfit was nowhere near presentable but there was no way she was going to sprint back upstairs and risk seeing Rio half dressed. Her mind had mercifully forgotten those images from last night, her southern parts were already waking up every time she saw him. Knowing how he looked undressed wouldn’t help.

Beth rushed over to the door and opened it with a sweeping motion.

“Morning, sleeping beauty,” Rio said, his eyes scrutinising her outfit as they travelled all the way down to her bare feet.

“How…?” Beth looked over her shoulder at the stairs. This was impossible. Rio was upstairs. He was getting dressed. They’d spend the night together, they must have, there was no other explanation as to how he’d ended up in her bed. And yet, he was standing right in front of her.

Beth turned her focus back to the conversation, filing the mystery away for the moment. “What are you doing here?” She asked and crossed her arms over her chest as the cold started exposing things she’d rather not draw attention to.

“I need you on the fourteenth.” Rio stepped inside and she quickly closed the door behind him. He followed her back into the kitchen where she nursed her latte. Maybe caffeine would help her figure what was going on.

“Why?”

“We planning to rob Delphine and we’ll need everything you’ve collected on her.” During the last month Beth had scouted three different art galleries, apparently all connected to the gang leader. She’d accumulated as much information as she could, ranging from the average painting price to how many security cameras there were installed down to how good their customer service was. She knew them practically as well as her home.

“Alright, when and where?”

Before Rio could answer, last night’s Rio walked into the kitchen. “Morning,” he greeted them. His voice a throaty timbre. Beth realised this was the first time she saw his face - excluding the night she’d lost to alcohol - and while he did have similarities to Rio, he also had the faint outline of a beard and a longer, less defined face. And those eyes - a river of blue she longed to drown in. Past-Beth had definitely chosen well.

“Cups in here?” His hand hovered over one her kitchen cupboards.

“Um, no, they’re over here actually,” Beth said and turned to show him. How did people behave after a one-night stand? In movies they always kicked them out but this guy was already in her kitchen, now sipping on his coffee. And Rio was _right there_. He had grin on his face, but his eyes betrayed him, practically murdering the guy on the spot.

Finally, Rio turned back to her. “I’ll pick you up.”

“Sorry, who are you?” One-night stand asked and slung an arm around Beth’s shoulders. She grimaced.

“He’s no one,” she answered as she twisted out of his embrace and turned to him. “It’s better if you leave now. I…” She tried to think of something that’d ring his alarm bells immediately. “I have to pick up my kids.”

Surprise spread out on his face in raised eyebrows and wide eyes. “Oh okay, sure, I’ll be - I’ll leave.” Rio watched him as if he personally owned the house he was standing on and had just caught the guy trespassing. It took her hook-up less than a second to flee the kitchen (and Rio). He didn’t even bother with a goodbye.

They were silent until the door clicked into its lock. “It’s not what it looks like, he -“

Rio cut her off. “Do I look like I care?” Beth shut her mouth at the sudden change in his tone. She wasn’t sure what had upset him so much in the last five minutes. He had nothing to fear, she wasn’t about to get seriously involved with anyone, their mission wouldn’t be compromised. But she knew Rio enough to know it was better to keep quiet.

He stepped closer. “Fourteenth, I’ll pick you up. You need to explain the others what you know about Delphine’s locations. Prepare a Power Point or something if that makes it easier for you.”

“The others?”

A poisonous smile spread out on Rio’s lips. “You scared?”

Beth straightened. “What time?”

“Six pm. Better be ready, you don’t wanna disappoint me.” The icy daggers in his eyes woke Beth up. He might not have pointed a gun at her recently, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t harm her. Or her family. She couldn’t risk upsetting him.

“You can count on me.”

Rio’s face froze for a second, so quickly Beth almost missed it. He recovered with a sneer on his face and he didn’t have to say it for her to know he was thinking of the time she’d almost landed him in prison. The memory was still fresh on her mind too.

Without another word he left. Beth sighed as she buried her head in her hands. Would he ever trust her again?

She knew she needed to tell him about Delphine, about their meetings in random warehouses and coffeeshops. About the lies she’d fed her, hoping to buy herself just another week. It was only a matter of time before Rio’d find out for himself. But they were already working on taking Delphine down. Once they’d accomplished that, Beth wouldn’t have to worry about anything getting out to Rio and she wouldn’t have to snitch on Delphine either.

Her problems would resolve themselves. All she had to do was be patient.

Beth took a deep breath. She could do that.

***

True to his word, Rio showed up at six pm sharp the following Thursday. Beth adjusted the striped blouse she’d settled on after hours of outfit changes, downed her second serving of whiskey and followed the ring of the bell.

Grabbing her leather jacket and the purse she’d set ready by the door, she assured herself for the millionth time that everything would be fine and stepped outside. She was more nervous than the first time she’d met Dean’s parents and they had to break the news of her pregnancy to them.

Rio was waiting for her, leaning against one of the pillars on her porch. The moment his eyes settled on her, she felt ridiculous. Her pearl-necklace and pumps were like an open book titled _Beth’s insecurities_.

But Rio merely nodded at her before he walked to his car. If he’d noticed anything, she sure as hell couldn’t read it in his face. 

Beth followed him and slid in the passenger seat. Out of habit she pulled the security belt over her chest and although a car accident was the least likely way she was going to get killed today, she left it locked.

Rio didn’t offer any small-talk, so Beth kept quiet on the drive, using the time instead to collect her thoughts. The alcohol was slowly starting to swallow her nerves and she could feel herself relax ever so slightly. Considering they were headed to a group of criminals, she wasn’t sure that was a good thing.

“Why don’t you just kill her?” She asked. Apparently, her nerves weren’t the only loosened by the alcohol.

Rio shot her a quick look before focusing back on the road. “It ain’t that simple.”

Beth was about to ask for clarification when he continued: “We kill her, she gonna get replaced. Kingdoms don’t disappear just because there ain’t nobody to rule them. Destroy the empire and the king will follow. Didn’t you learn your lesson?”

“Alright,” Beth said, straightening. “I admit it, I made a mistake. Fine. I shouldn’t have tried to putsch you, I was stupid and naive and scared. The police were on your heels, _our_  heels, I did what I thought was best for my family, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t regretted it every day since.” 

Rio grinned. “You think of me every day?”

“I wouldn’t be working for you anymore if I hadn’t tried to put you behind bars, so yes.”

“You’re still denying that you want this life?”

“I don’t,” Beth said firmly. “I don’t want a life that puts my kids in danger.”

A cold laugh burst out of him. “Do you actually believe yourself?”

Beth opened her mouth, only to shut it a moment later. She had practically begged him to involve her again, she couldn’t deny she craved this life. The thrill of it had seduced her and she hadn’t even noticed. But if she had to choose between this and the safety of her children, well, that wasn’t a choice at all. She was a mother first, everything else came second.

Rio took a left turn, his head angled away from her. “After this is over, d’you want out?”

“I don’t know.” Beth’s voice was a whisper.

They were both quiet for a while, stuck in their own thoughts. To her surprise, it was Rio who spoke up first. “As long as you in this, your kids ain’t ever gonna be safe.”

Beth swallowed, unable to answer. Of course, this wasn’t news to her, but hearing it out spoken out loud, out of Rio’s mouth no less, it made it uncomfortably real. After their little coup, she’d have to say goodbye to him once and for all, no matter how much she’d miss this, miss him.

Not soon after, Rio stopped the car in front of a bar, lit up only by two street lights. The storefront took Beth by surprise, she’d been expecting another warehouse.

In one fluid motion Rio opened the door and stepped out. Beth took a deep breath before she did the same and fell into step beside him. She was scared yes, but she didn’t want to run. A couple months ago, she wouldn’t have been able to walk towards this without shaking hands. Now, although she was scared, she was in control. 

Rio reached for the door and held it open, waiting for her to make the first move. The dim bar light didn’t promise an ounce of safety but Beth stepped forward. The sound of her heels was drowned by rock music. She didn’t even hear Rio enter but then his hand was on her lower back and he was guiding them towards a table in the corner.

Beth had about three seconds to assess everyone. There was a woman with half of her brown hair shaved off, the tips died in a neon pink. Two rings adorned her eyebrows. Next to her was a guy who looked old enough to be her dad. The business-suit he’d dressed in didn’t help him fit in. He looked like a banker who’d gotten lost on his way home. The last person was a thin kid, his hoodie drawn up hiding most of his features. All Beth saw was thin lipped mouth over a pointed chin.

Rio nodded at them as they took their seats. The place where his hand had been burned through Beth. How did his touch still affect her this much? The stranger last week was supposed to have gotten rid of her desires. Yet here she was, her thoughts going into R-rated territory, imagining what his hands might feel like on other places of her body.

“You brought us fresh blood,” the banker said as his eyes roamed over Beth’s frame. 

“You’re not even gonna introduce her?” The woman asked, shaking her head at Rio. “You’re unbelievable sometimes.” She stretched a hand across the table and Beth shook it automatically.

“I’m Cal. That’s Deluxe,” she nodded at the banker, “And that’s Jimmy.” The kid gave her a small wave but kept his head low.

“Beth,” she replied.

“Nice to finally have another woman at the table. It was getting hard to breathe among all this testosterone.” Cal smiled at her and Beth could feel herself warm up to her. At least for now. In truth she didn’t trust anyone at this table more than she could throw them, which was to say that she didn’t trust them at all.

“Are you sure she’s fit to be here?” Deluxe asked Rio before turning to her, “No offense, honey.”

“Are you doubting me?” Rio shot back.

Deluxe paled. “Of course not.”

“Good, your wife ain’t exactly charming from what I remember.” Rio turned to her. “Let’s hear what you got, Elizabeth.”

She turned her head, all too aware of the couple sitting by the bar. What if they were undercover FBI agents? Worse, what if they were working for Delphine?

“Don’t worry about the people, Deluxe owns this place,” Cal explained. “No cameras here either.”

Beth nodded. One thing less to worry about, although she wasn’t sure banker-guy was entirely trustworthy. He was watching her so intently, she felt like prey. One wrong move and he would go for the kill.

“Rio gave me three locations to scout,” Beth began as she got a folder out of her bag. “They’re all in and around the city, all of them art galleries so they’re full of rich people.” She pulled out the pictures she’d subtly taken during her visits. “I’ve compiled a spreadsheet of how many cameras, security guards, art pieces and all kinds of other stuff is at each of the locations. And I’ve also sketched rough blueprints for all of them.” She put more papers on the table. “Cameras are marked in red, guards are blue, exits green. There might be additional security on the pieces like motion-sensors but not as far as I could tell. In my opinion, her south location would be easiest to hit. Security isn’t very tight and the street is usually traffic-free, which makes getting away pretty easy.” 

“Damn gurl, you really went all out,” Cal said, taking one of her blueprints and studying it.

“What kind of art is she carrying?” Jimmy asked. The guttural tone of his voice surprised Beth. She’d expected the bumpy sound of a teen who hadn’t really found his voice yet, but his was several octaves deeper.

“It’s a mix in all of them, but mostly modern stuff and smaller antique paintings. I’ve put that on the spreadsheet.”

Jimmy nodded. “This is good work.”

Beth straightened at the compliment, some of the tension falling off her shoulders.

“Let’s show this bitch who she’s messing with,” Deluxe grinned.

They fell into talks about logistics and strategy. Beth could only listen, this was out of her expertise. Robbing an art gallery was on an entirely different scale to robbing a grocery store. 

Since it was clear she wasn’t going to be involved in the actual robbery, Beth zoned out. If Rio hadn’t been Rio, she might’ve thought he was protecting her. But she knew better than that. He simply didn’t trust her. It shouldn’t have affected her as much as it did, after all she’d almost put him in prison, but it still infuriated her. They’d worked together for a while now, didn’t she deserve trust? Yes, she’d screwed up, but had she not been trying every day since then to rectify her mistake? Why was he still punishing her for it?

“With that out of the way, we can finally get to the good stuff,” Cal said. “Tell me, how did you two meet? Did he try to pick you up at a bar, too?” The question ripped Beth out of her thoughts.

She looked at Rio with wide eyes, waiting for his help. He returned her gaze nonchalantly, a hint of amusement in his eyes. He was enjoying seeing her squirm.

Beth opted for the simplest answer. “I robbed a grocery store.”

Cal tilted her head and laughed. “That’s cute.”

“Nah, that’s what she wants you to think,” Rio said, his eyes weighing heavy on her. “But you got to be real stupid to underestimate her.” Had he just paid her a compliment?

Beth barely had time to process that thought, when he stood up. “Take care of what we discussed, I’ll be in touch.” She took this as a cue to say her goodbye as well. The little bit of alcohol she’d had was clearing up and Cal’s words were slowly trickling through to her. Rio had tried to pick up Cal? And at a bar no less?

Once more Rio rested his hand on Beth’s lower back. And if she’d thought the first time was merely a coincidence, this definitely wasn’t. As soon as they stepped outside though, he dropped his hand. That explained it. He had done it to signal the other’s not to mess with her. 

To mess with her would be to mess with him. They weren’t going to risk that.

Beth mulled over that realisation as he drove them back to hers.

 

“The cameras at the art gallery have me on tape,” Beth said, breaking the silence. “What if Delphine puts the pieces together and traces the robbery back to me?”

“What did you think this was? A playdate?” Rio sneered. “We’re at war, sweetheart.”

Beth silently sucked in a breath. The temperature seemed to drop several degrees as dread filled her chest. She drew her coat tighter and crossed her arms, not bothering with an answer. She was tired of being underestimated and patronised. 

One part of her wanted to tell Delphine about the robbery to save her own ass, but she knew that would destroy Rio’s plan and everything they’d worked for. He’d forgiven her for ratting him out once already, she doubted he’d do it a second time.

So her only option was to wait and see how this turned out. She was silently hoping Delphine wouldn’t think to check her security cameras, because really, why would she? Rio would make it clear who’d robbed her, there was no reason to search for the culprits on tape.

Yet, she couldn’t be sure Delphine wouldn’t do it anyway.

“You planning on going in or d’you just wanna admire your front garden?” Rio asked, his elbow propped up on the small car-windowsill, while his hand barely rested on the steering wheel.  
Beth shook herself out of her thoughts, she was tired of being stuck in a place without any answers. “You planned this meeting on Valentine’s Day, why?” 

Rio shrugged, that annoying half grin back on his face. “You had other plans?”

“You protected me at the bar, putting your hand on my back. You showed them I’m yours. Why?”

If Rio was taken aback by her sudden onslaught of questions, he didn’t show it. “Would you rather I didn’t?”

Beth huffed, exasperated. “Stop answering my questions with more questions. I deserve some answers, I’ve proved my worth. What else do I have to do to earn your trust back?”

“Ain’t nothing you can do, sweetheart. You fucked up.”

“I’m sorry, alright? But I worked my ass off at those galleries. I deserve at least an ounce of respect, I have _earned_  it.” 

Rio’s hardened at her outburst, but the subtle raise of his eyebrows revealed that he was mildly impressed. “Tell you what, we bury the past. But if you screw with me again, that’s it.” He was going to kill her. If he ever found out about Delphine, he would kill her. But there was no way she could tell him about her now, when he’d finally taken a step towards her instead of two backwards. No, she would have to handle Delphine on her own.

And anyway, Beth was going to be done soon. All her problems were going disappear with Delphine.

“Deal,” Beth said, unable to hide a satisfied smile. Before he could take his words back, she got out of the car and crossed her front-lawn back to the safety of her home.

***

The front door’s motion sensor alerted Beth before the bell did. It was dark out but the porch light gave her a clear view of the person waiting on her doorstep. She wished it didn’t.

Beth straightened her blouse, took a deep breath and opened the door. There was nowhere to run.

“Mrs. Boland?” Agent Turner greeted her with a stern expression. “You’re under arrest.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1000 hits u guys!! Thank you all so much omgg! And we're so close to a 100 kudos, I can't believe it! I might even have a little surprise planned once we reach this milestone (*cough* part 2 of this chapter *cough*) ;)
> 
> (Also let's pretend this isn't a day late... American uni is killing me, send help pls)


	5. Bonus Chapter

While a police officer locked her hand cuffs to a table under Agent Turner’s watchful gaze, Beth clung to her dignity with a straight spine and stony expression. Internally though, she was a mess. Her thoughts ran in circles, listing one illegal activity after another.

“Do you know why you’re here?” Turner said as he sat down in front of her, laying a file with her name on the table.

“I have no idea.”

Turner folded his hands. “We did another sweep of Fine & Frugal and we found two masks in the lost and found clothing bin.” He paused, assessing her reaction but Beth’s face revealed nothing. “One of them had your DNA on it.”

“When can I use my phone call?”

“One of my agents will escort you but I’d strongly consider that you open up about this. From what I can tell, you’re a dedicated housewife, I don’t want to see you behind bars. All we want is to catch the guy behind this operation.” The chair scraped over the floor as Turner stood up. He halted and lowered his eyes to her. “Think about your children.”  
Beth stayed silent. But as he opened the door, she said softly, “All I ever think about are my children.” Turner didn’t look back before he left her.

A couple minutes later a tall, broad-shouldered FBI agent entered, his eyebrows knitted together in a perpetuate state of anger. Beth couldn’t help but think that with a couple tattoos on his skin, he’d have fit right into a gang. 

He didn’t speak as he loosened the handcuffs around her wrists. And even though he rested a hand right above her elbow as he escorted her out, Beth felt like she didn’t intimidate him very much. Indeed, every officer’s eyes she met was returned with a mix of curiosity and pity. No fear, no disgust, no hate. They all thought she was an innocent housewife who’d taken the wrong exit at an interstate. Last year, when they’d robbed the store for the first time that might have been true, but now? Now this was a choice. 

There was a limited selection of people she could call. Rio was the first one that came to her mind but her burner phone was hidden in a kitchen drawer at home, and she didn’t know his number by heart. Not that it’d have been safe to call him anyway, considering she was at an FBI station. Their technology could probably track him down before their call would’ve even finished. 

No, there was only one person who wouldn’t attract their attention. Beth picked up the receiver, acutely aware of the agent’s eyes on her.

“Hello?” Annie’s voice was uncharacteristically small through the phone.

“Annie, thank God. It’s Beth. They’ve arrested me and I don’t know what to do.” The words tumbled out of her, setting off an avalanche of panic. The FBI had arrested her and if they started to dig the slightest bit into her, they’d find all the evidence they needed and then she’d be going to prison. 

“Whoa, slow down. You got arrested?”

“Yes,” Beth exclaimed. “That’s what I said. You have to get me out of here, please. I can’t go to prison, who’s going to care of the kids?”

“Nobody is going to prison,” Annie said confidently, although Beth knew she couldn’t be sure. They’d raked up a long list of things they could most certainly be locked behind bars for. “What are they holding you for? They have to have proof or else they gotta let you go, I saw it on _Law & Order_.”

“They found a black mask at the store with my DNA on it.”

“Oh.” Annie went quiet.

“Okay, wrap it up,” the agent said as he took a step closer.

“I have to go. The kids’ schedule is on the fridge, and the one for March is stored in my desk. Don’t let Dean feed them junk all day, make sure they at least have one proper meal a day and they need to be in bed by ten or they’ll be exhausted and whiny in the morning.”

“Stop, we’ll get you out of there, trust me. I’ll visit you as soon as I can, hang in there.”

“Okay.” Beth let out a breath as the guard cleared his throat. They rushed to say their goodbyes before Beth hung up and let herself be led back to the interrogation room. The comfort of Annie’s voice rapidly fading.  
  
  


Beth wasn’t sure how much time passed until the door opened again. There was no clock in the room, something she was certain they’d done intentionally. The same officer who had accompanied her to the phone filled out the doorframe. “Mrs. Boland, your lawyer is here.”

“I didn’t-“

“Good day, Beth. I am glad you called.” The woman sat down across from her and laid her briefcase flat on the table.

Beth was all too aware of the man hovering by the door, no doubt overhearing their very word. There was nothing she could do but go along. “I don’t know why I’m being held here, I’ve done nothing.”

The lawyer fixed the agent with a grim stare until he surrendered and stepped fully into the hall, pulling the door shut behind him. “I’m Sophie Cotruda, a friend of yours called me about your case.” Had Annie contacted her? But they couldn’t afford a lawyer.

“Do you work pro-bono?”

The woman laughed sharply. “I don’t do _pro bono_. I’m no saint.” She pulled a file out of her briefcase. “Now, let’s stop wasting my time and get to business. The FBI is insinuating that you, your sister and your shared friend Ruby broke into Fine & Frugal but I’ve taken a look at their evidence and there is very little that would actually hold up in court. They didn’t even have enough to arrest your accomplices.” The woman spoke as if she knew every single crime they had committed, as if the fact that she’d done it wasn’t even up for debate.

“But this could go to court?”

“I’m afraid so. There was your DNA on the robber’s mask and the security cameras do show figures with roughly the same shapes as you and your friends. But as long as you stay quiet you should be discharged within the next sixty-five hours - the maximum amount of time they’re allowed to keep you here without getting an arrest warrant.”

Beth nodded, the lump in her throat preventing her from saying anything. Sixty-five hours was still almost three days away. She couldn’t stay here this long. Dean couldn’t afford to take any days off of work and getting a sitter for the kids would be too expensive.

“They don’t want to send you to prison. Right now you’re the only connection they have to Rio, they don’t want to lose that. You’re more useful on the outside. In the mean time, I’ll work on your imminent release. All I need you to do right now, is keep quiet. In less than ten hours they’ll offer you a deal, I’ll see you again then.”

“How do you know they’ll want a deal?”

Sophie rose. “Because I’m very good at my job and so are they.”  
  


  
Sophie was right. It didn’t take long until Agent Turner came in again with a peace offering in hand. Beth’s lawyer followed behind him. “We want to offer you a deal. We’ll drop all charges if you tell us everything you know about this guy.” Turner slid a photo of Rio across the table. It was a better shot compared to the one he’d shown her before, here they’d gotten a close shot of his face, capturing Rio mid-sneer.“What am I being charged with exactly?” Beth asked, unable to keep quiet. She needed to know how much the FBI had pieced together.

“Multiple robberies, money laundering and assault.”

“But you haven’t actually filed any charges. You haven’t even provided an arrest warrant for my client,” Sophie said.

“You know we can get one in less than an hour. The only reason we haven’t yet, is out of courtesy to Mrs. Boland.”

“Bullshit,” Sophie’s voice was unsettlingly calm. “You don’t want to arrest her. And even if you did, there’s little evidence that would hold up in court. Her DNA might have been on the mask but

Mrs. Boland is a respected member of her community, a loving wife and mother of four. She hasn’t even had a speeding ticket before.”  
Turner’s jaw hardened and he turned to Beth. “Do you really want to risk losing your children based on your lawyer’s speculations?”

“Are you threatening my client, Agent Turner?”

“I’m merely explaining her options.” He held her gaze intently. “Consider them thoroughly.”  
  


  
Time passed. To Beth it felt like eternity but logically it couldn’t have been more than a couple hours. Agent Turner stepped back into the room. Her lawyer had advised her not to take any deal he offered her, reasoning that she was certain they’d have to release her eventually. They didn’t have anything substantial enough to hold her.

Turner walked over to her. His face an impenetrable mask as he unlocked her cuffs. “You’re free to go, Mrs. Boland.”

Beth paused. It was what Sophie had said would happen, but she was still surprised. She caught herself quickly and rose.

“One of my officer will take you to the front desk to retrieve your belongings and there are a couple papers to fill out.” Beth nodded, ready to get out of here and return to her children. But Turner continued, his voice softening. “I’m not the bad guy here, Mrs. Boland. I can protect you, but you have got to let me in.”

Beth straightened. “I don’t know what I’d need protection from that’s your concern. Can I leave now?” 

Instead of answering her, he stepped aside, clearing her path to the door. He was frustrated with her. Beth could read as much in his curled lips and narrowed eyes, but there was nothing she could do about it. She was in too deep now.

As Beth took the elevator downstairs to the lobby, the shock of the last 24 hours faded and a cool realisation spread out through her body, chilling her bones down to their core. She had been arrested.

She could have landed in prison. It was pure luck she was out, but they were on her trail now and it would only be a matter of time until they found more evidence. And then she’d be going behind bars for way longer.

Beth swallowed, leaning the top of her head against the elevator walls. She was screwed.

As the doors slid open, Beth smoothed her blouse and composed herself. She’d have time to worry later, now she needed to get home and pick up her kids from Dean.

“Beth!” Someone swallowed her in a hug. “I was just on my way up, your lawyer said they’d release you soon.” Slowly, she registered the woman’s voice as Annie’s.

Beth laughed in surprise, her arms automatically squeezing Annie closer to her. The familiar warmth comforted Beth in a way she hadn’t known she’d needed. For just a moment she was able to relax, let go of every worry on her mind. But then Annie untangled herself from her and Beth was back in the real world.

“You need to tell me everything. What do they know, how did you get out, do they really say you have the right to remain silent when they arrest you?”

Beth couldn’t laugh. She was tired and she reeked of crime. All she wanted was to bury her kids in her arms, shower and then sleep for an eternity. The only thing she had in her was a tired smile as they walked outside.

The afternoon sun casted the car’s grey interior in a warm light. Beth slid into the passenger seat. “Does Ruby know?”

“Yeah, I called her earlier, she’s freaking out. She’d have come but she couldn’t get anyone to cover her shift.”

“They don’t have anything on you or they’d have brought you in as well. From witness-accounts they know there were multiple robbers, but without a confession they can’t do anything.” Beth said as she watched the police department disappear in the side mirror. “If they find any more evidence, I’ll take the blame. Just promise me you’ll look after my kids. Don’t let Dean spoil them too much.”

“Stop talking like this.” Annie’s voice was unusually quiet. “No one is going anywhere.”

“I’m working with Rio again.”

Annie whirled around, her eyes wide in horror. “You’re kidding me!”

Beth shook her head. “I’ve helped him rob an art-gallery.” She couldn’t tell Annie about Delphine. She couldn’t be that selfish. Telling her about the Rio-situation was already putting Annie at risk, but Beth was so tired. She felt like an island, far off from everything and everyone, with miles and miles of ocean between them. But she needed her sister. It’d been about time she offered her a boat.

“And you just kept that to yourself?” Annie’s eyes swung back and forth between Beth and the road.

“I had to,” Beth pleaded. “Last time… You know it didn’t end well.”

“Exactly!” Annie chuckled in disbelief. “Gang-friend really got to you, huh?”

“It’s not what you think.”

“Oh no? So you don’t wanna screw him every time you see him?” Annie teased.

Beth didn’t bother commenting on that. “He just showed up on my doorstep covered in blood, what was I supposed to do? Turn him away?”

“Yes?” Annie chuckled. “This is like something out of _Riverdale_.”

Beth sighed and lifted her purse onto her knees, searching for her phone. She needed to call Dean, let him know he could drop the kids off with her again. Her hands found the burner first. No new messages. Rio wasn’t stupid enough to text her after she’d gotten arrested, but she’d have to get in touch with him soon. Let him know she was out.

Beth’s normal phone was flooded with notifications. There were texts from Dean wondering where she was. Others from a group-chat for the school mums discussing the next bake-sale and the Saturday BBQ happening this week. A multitude of other random reminders popped up such as a meditation app she hadn’t used in ages and approximately two dozen spam-mails. 

Beth ignored all of it and opened her chat with Dean. “I’m back home now. You can drop the kids off any time you want.”

“You didn’t tell Dean what happened, did you?” Beth asked.

“No, I said you had an emergency but would be back soon. I didn’t think you’d want him to know.”

Beth released a breath. “Thank you. I’m sorry for not telling you sooner, I was… afraid. I didn’t want you to end up in my position.” About to be locked behind bars that is.“I get it,” Annie said.

“Don’t mean I’m not a little mad, but I get it. Just don’t keep anything from me going forward, yeah?”

Beth thought about Delphine, the dead animals, the guy who’d visited Emma at school. “Alright,” she lied. There was a reason she was alone on her island; anyone else would get killed.

 

“Keeping up with the Kardashians tomorrow, don’t forget. We’ll bring booze, you take care of snacks?” Annie asked as she parked in front of Beth’s house.

“Deal,” Beth said. It was odd to think that she was coming home from a night in jail. Everything felt so ordinary. The motions of her routine were already clicking back into place around her.

They said their goodbyes and Beth returned to her empty house. Dean’d replied that he was fine with having the kids for another night, she’d merely have to pick them up from school tomorrow. A part of her was relieved because a kids free evening meant she could draw herself a bath the temperature of hot coals and soak shamelessly with a bottle of wine by her side.

Beth was absorbed in daydreams of booze and relaxation as she stepped into the kitchen to grab a bottle of red before disappearing upstairs.

“Hello, sweetheart,” Rio said, casually resting on her kitchen counter.

A scream escaped her throat, her hand clutching her keys hard enough to leave marks in her hand. His words carried a memory of blood and Christmas presents with them. “What are you _doing_  here?”

Rio shrugged as he hopped down. “Heard you got out.” Beth’s eyes caught onto the muscles barely hidden under his tight-fitting black shirt.

“I did. And I’m very tired, so whatever you came here to say, it’ll have to wait ’til tomorrow,” Beth said, crossing the distance to the wine rack and taking down the bottle she’d been dreaming about. It wasn’t anything special, the times when she could afford fancy booze were over, but it was her favourite wine from Whole Foods. “I’m grateful for the lawyer, I am. I’ll pay you back whatever she cost, or take it off my pay check from the robbery, I don’t care.” With skilled motions Beth uncorked the bottle and poured herself a generous glass.

“Hold up, you think I got you a lawyer?”

Beth froze, the glass at her lips. Thankfully, her back was turned towards Rio because she was sure he’d have been able to uncover all the lies right in her face. Of course Rio didn’t provide her with a lawyer. 

Beth suppressed a laugh. How naive she’d been. Rio’d protected her once, given her an inch and here she was thinking it was a mile. No, there was only one person who needed her out of jail. Immediately.

“Annie must’ve paid for it and not told me,” Beth said. The excuse was so weak, she didn’t dare to turn and expose herself with her body language.

“What are you not telling me?” Rio’s voice hovered behind her, she hadn’t even heard him stepping closer.

Beth turned. “I’ve been awake for thirty hours, Turner grilled me for ages before a lawyer showed up out of nowhere. I thought you might have send her because I used my only phone call on

Annie but she and Ruby must’ve scraped some money together.” Beth shook her head, she was almost losing herself in the threads of her lie. “Anyway, I’m out now and I’d like a hot bath and some peace and quiet.”

“Ain’t nobody stopping you from doing that.” His lips curved playfully.  
Beth had to stop herself from spitting the wine back into her glass when she got what he was insinuating. “Peace and quiet, Rio.”

“Are you not interested in what I have to tell you?” Rio asked as he stepped closer, his body invading her space, soft ripples of warmth entering her atmosphere.  
Beth swallowed. “Alright, spit it out.”

Rio’s eyes searched her face. “The cops really got to you, huh?”

“Yes!” Beth exclaimed. “Yes, Rio, they got to me. They arrested me, put me in cuffs and escorted me to the station as if I’d murdered someone.” She closed her eyes and leant back against the counter. “I can’t go to prison. Who’s going to take care of the kids?”

Out of nowhere, his hand was around hers lifting her arm. Beth’s eyes shot open. Rio was inspecting the faint red bracelets the handcuffs had left around her wrists. “Elizabeth.” The whisper of her name on his lips sent shudders through her. “They ain’t gonna put you in prison. They want me, not you.”

“I won’t rat you out.”

“I know,” he said. “I ain’t worried about that.” He wasn’t? 

Beth forced herself to break the silence because the longer she held his stare, the farther her late-night fantasies were surfacing. “What did you want to say?”

Rio lowered her wrist. “We got her. Emptied the whole fucking gallery.” Beth eyed the smile on his lips with fascination. It was real. All the time they’d known each other, and Beth could count the view occasions she’d ever witnessed that smile on one hand. The flutter it set loose in her stomach was distressing. Had she ever felt this way with Dean?

“That’s - do you want a glass? To celebrate? I’ve got some whiskey too.” Beth stumbled over her words, the smile disrupting her focus. Slowly, her brain registered his words. Hope rose in her chest. They’d done it, Delphine and her gang would be gone soon, and then, Beth would be able to return to her normal life. Or what she’d come to see as normal. Because she had to admit that by now, Rio was part of her normality.

“Yeah, I’ll take a whiskey.”

Beth busied herself with preparing his drink. What had gotten into her, offering Rio a glass instead of kicking him out of her house. She told herself she was protecting the olive branch he’d given her on Valentine’s Day, but if she was honest with herself, she knew she’d offered him a drink because she liked having him here. She liked the way he looked at her, as if he’d never seen anyone more fascinating, almost as if he _desired_  her.

Beth handed him the glass wordlessly as they studied each other. She was painfully aware of the scent of the last thirty hours clinging to her skin.

“So what happens next?” Beth asked.

“We wait. Then we hit the other galleries.”

“That easy?” 

Rio laughed humourlessly. “Nah, she’ll hit back. Delphine isn’t one to go down without a fight. But the robberies gonna distract her while we take down her men.” Rio must’ve read something in her face because he continued. “You ain’t got anything to worry about. She not gonna mess with a stepford mum who was just brought in for questioning.” Oh, if only he knew how much Delphine didn’t mess with her sort.

“I’m not worried about me.” How many times would she have to patch him up in the coming months?

Rio’s eyebrows rose ever so slightly as he caught on. “You trust me?”

“Yes,” Beth said hoarsely, her breath caught in her throat.

“Then trust me when I’m telling you, you ain’t got anything to worry about.”

“Okay,” Beth said, releasing the tension in her chest.

***

The next morning as Beth checked the mail, an unstamped envelope laid on top of the usual bills. Beth’s heart sped up at the sight, a million possibilities running through her head. She hurried back inside and locked the door behind her before ripping the envelope open.

“Meet me @ our first spot. Monday 2pm - D”

Beth cursed. Delphine had to know about her involvement in the robbery. It couldn’t have escaped her, why else would she want to see her so soon? Beth had been supposed to spy on Rio yet she had withheld the most important piece of information. And now it was coming to bite her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so overwhelmed by the amount of comments on the last chapter, thank you all so much!! I can't even begin to tell u how much it means to me
> 
> In other news, can we talk about those trailers for s2??? That tenSION omgg
> 
> Next chapter: St. Patrick’s Day


	6. Not an Update

Hi everyone,

Just quickly wanted to let you know that the St. Patrick's Day chapter will be up pretty late (probably towards the end of this week) because I spend the weekend in Vegas and didn't have access to my laptop rip

Can't wait to continue this chapter tho, things are heating upppp 

Anyway, see u soon, thank you for reading! xx


	7. St. Patrick's Day

“And you knew nothing about this robbery either?” Delphine eyed her over the mimosa in her hands. Her delicate frame and impeccable wavy hair fit so perfectly into the small downtown cafe, it made Beth self-conscious. Their target demographic of hipster millennials caused her to feel ten years older than she actually was. She couldn’t wait to get out of here.

“I had no idea,” Beth replied. “You know I’d have told you if I did.” She picked up the salt shaker, trying not to mind the people around them. Were they seriously discussing crime over mimosas and breakfast muffins?

“I hope so,” Delphine replied. “Would be a shame if you’re back going to prison so soon after I got you out.”

Beth swallowed. There was no way she was going back to that place, she couldn’t. “I’ll try to find out more, but he doesn’t trust me.”

Delphine nodded. “Yes, you will. If there’s another robbery that you don’t tell me about, I’ll personally see to your fate and that of everyone you care about.”

Beth’s eyes widened, any reply got stuck in her throat next to a bite of scrambled eggs. Across from her, Delphine casually chewed on a piece of her avocado toast before washing it down with a mouthful of mimosa.

A waitress approached with an orange liquid-filled carafe in hand. “Would you two like a refill?”

“Yes, that’d be marvellous,” Delphine replied, smiling up at the waitress. The way she switched so effortlessly into a different person was distressing. Right this second, there was nothing gangleader-like about her, the waitress probably thought her charming. Yet Beth could see the glimmer in her eyes, the kind of assertiveness that only came with power.

She knew it because the same glimmer had started to manifest in her own eyes. Some mornings when she looked in the mirror, it was hard to recognise the woman reflected back at her.

After their glasses were filled up and the waitress had moved on to the next table, Delphine turned back to their conversation. “I have another task for you. Something that’s going to make spying on Rio _so_  much easier.” Her massive smile made Beth wary. 

She crossed her arms and leaned forward, waiting for Delphine to continue.

“You’ll put that fiery hair and those deer eyes to use, and seduce him.” At first Beth thought she was joking, but Delphine’s voice left no room for humour.

“You can’t be serious.”

“Is this going to be an issue?”

Beth stared at her, dumbstruck. “Of course not,” she hurried to say. Seduce Rio. The thought alone made her want to burst out laughing. It was absurd. 

But Annie had insinuated something similar before, hadn’t she? “I’ll see what I can do.”

“I’ll be expecting results in a month at the latest, so don’t you ever tell me I’m not generous.” Delphine took a sip. “Now, did you bring what I asked you to?”

Beth picked her purse up, got out a brown manila envelope and laid it on the table. “It’s all there.” Delphine’s lawyer had cost a whopping five grand and Beth had to pay back every single cent. She assumed that with the robberies, Delphine needed all of the money she could get. Or she just liked to make Beth suffer. Most likely it was a mix of both.

“You’re good for something at least.” Delphine’s hand closed around the envelope possessively before she stowed it away on the inside of her black coat.

Delphine scrunched her nose as Beth finished the last of her eggs. “I don’t know how you can eat those. They’re tiny chickens. Undeveloped, tiny chicken _babies_. Yet, somehow,

I’m the bad person here because I forge a couple art pieces.” Delphine chuckled, shaking her head in what must’ve been disbelief. “The world is funny, isn’t it?”

***

The breakfast sat heavy in Beth’s stomach as she sank deeper into the couch cushions, leaning her head back against the rest. She was exhausted. All her lies were a house made of cards and she was tired shielding it from the wind. But did she really have a choice? There was no one she could confide in if she didn’t want them to get hurt.

Not to mention that she had to get everything ready for the probability that she might be going to prison. Over the last couple weeks, she’d planned out almost the entirety of the children’s next year. She’d enrolled them in a summer camp as well as scheduled a time with Dean for them to go on a holiday together (without her of course, because she’d likely spend her summer playing cards for cigarettes and pot noodles).

She’d prepared a million meals and stuck them in the freezer, written out their daily routines and taught Kenny how to make grilled cheese. There was a lot left to do but at least they wouldn’t be helpless should she leave. 

Shuffling footsteps approached the couch. “When is Daddy coming?” Emma asked as leaned on the armrest next to Beth. 

Beth sat up straight and turned to her. “He should be here any minute, have you packed everything?”

Emma nodded. “Natalie helped me pick out clothes.” That was one good thing in Beth’s life at least: their new babysitter. Maybe she’d be available for a full-time position when Beth left for prison?

The doorbell rang out. “That should be him! Do you wanna go have a look? I’ll get your siblings.”

Emma jumped up, strangling her plushie, and ran for the door. Beth sighed and fetched the others before joining Emma.

“Here are their bags, hopefully everything is in there, I didn’t have time to check but the sitter helped them pack, so it should be fine.” Beth handed four differently themed backpacks over into Dean’s arms.

“Thank you,” he said. “I, um, I also put the papers down over there.” He pointed his chin at their—her—console table. A thin, brown envelope was now laying on its surface. 

The divorce papers. With everything going on, Beth had completely forgotten that she’d delivered them to Dean, urging him to sign. They’d argued a _lot_  about it, but sense seemed to finally have caught up with him.

“So it’s official?” Beth asked, the “we’re no longer married” part hanging in the air. She had explained the divorce to their children but she didn’t want to mention it more than necessary. Kenny especially was angry enough at them as it was. Beth could only hope that one day they’d understand.

“It’s official.” Dean’s voice was quiet, his lip stuck out in the sad pout that he did so well. The one that had made her forgive many, many things, but they were long past forgiveness.

Beth gave him a final nod before she plastered a smile on her face and squatted down to her kids’ eye-level. “Have fun, everybody. Mummy loves you very much.” They stormed into her open arms, almost throwing her over. Beth laughed. The canid love of her children never failed to amaze her, she wished she could bottle it up.

“Mr. Rabbit wants to spend the weekend with you,” Emma said, holding her plushie out to Beth. “So you’re not gonna be alone.”

Beth’s throat clogged as her eyes filled with tears but she forced herself to smile. “That is very nice of him,” she choked out.

Emma smiled before turning and running after the others. Beth stayed in the doorway, watching them drive off, the bunny hugged tight to her chest. Even though they were only gone for a weekend, it felt like a monumental goodbye. 

A forever goodbye.

***

“Are you ready to party?” Annie asked, her voice carrying more enthusiasm than Beth had had all month. The little “Happy St. Patrick’s Day” antlers on top of her sister’s head bobbed as Annie shook her head.

“Can we get another round of the green margaritas, please?” Ruby smiled at the bartender.

“You’re officially divorced now, so let’s find you a new man!” Annie downed her drink and slammed it onto the counter. She straightened in her seat and surveyed the small bar they’d dragged her too.

Beth laughed. “I think I’ve had enough of men for a while.” She’d given up on tinder after her last date, who not even half an hour in, was trying to get her to the bathroom for a quickie.

“More for me,” Annie said and accepted the glass the waiter slid over to her with a wink.

“Weren’t you seeing that Tommy guy?” Ruby chimed in, taking a sip from the poisonous looking drink.

Annie brushed her off. “Tommy was a rebound. But,” she popped a peanut into her mouth and chewed loudly as she continued. “I’ve realised I need to focus on me for a while.”

The waiter put another round of margaritas in front of them, though they had barely touched the one Ruby had just ordered. “From the guys over there,” he said and nodded his head towards the back.

They turned in unison to a group of four guys all with various pieces of green clothing, holding up their drinks at them with smiles that revealed they were far from their first round. 

It was Annie who raised her drink in return, reciprocating their manic smiles. 

"You can't be serious," Ruby hissed but her tone was amused.

"Hey, I don't know about you guys, but I'm here to have fun. Or have you forgotten what that feels like?" Annie joked. "Let's live a little." With that she picked up her margarita and sauntered over to the strangers' table.

A laugh bubbled out of Beth. This was exactly what she'd needed. 

"We're not going to see her again tonight," Ruby stated with a disbelieving smile.

Beth's face mirrored her friends. "No, we're not."

 

 

It was many hours and a myriad of empty glasses later, when Ruby glanced at her phone. “I have to go home. Got an early shift tomorrow.”

“I should leave, too,” Beth sighed. Annie had taken off earlier with some random guy, who’d died his beard green for the occasion. Ruby and Beth had exchanged a silently judging look, but hadn’t said anything. Annie really needed to get over Gregg and if this was the way, so be it.

Ruby tapped her phone a couple times. “My Uber will be here in five. Should I call you one too?”

“Please,” Beth said thankfully as she handed her phone over. The last round had been a mistake. As Ruby sorted out her way home, Beth closed out their tap.

Ruby’s phone pinged. “Jorge is here in his white... Kia Optima? Do they really expect me to know what kinda model that is?” She shook her head and stood up, tenderly putting a hand on Beth’s back. “You gonna be alright on your own?”

“Yeah, don’t worry about me.” Beth forced herself to smile. “Get back to your family.”

“Text me when you get home.” They exchanged goodbyes before Ruby grabbed her handbag and hurried out the door.

Beth tapped the table impatiently as she watched the black dot creep slowly closer and closer towards her. The last survivors—an old dude at the bar and a group of friends in the corner booth by the bathrooms—weren’t making her any more comfortable.

 _Your Uber is 4 minutes away._  Beth shouldered her bag. Maybe fresh air before the drive home would help clear some of the fog from her mind. She stepped out of the bar and walked over to her car, contemplating whether it’d be safer to grab her gun from the glove compartment or leave it there. With the level of alcohol in her blood it was perhaps more likely that she’d end up shooting herself instead of possible attackers.

She was barely halfway across the parking lot when she spotted Rio leaning against the back of her car. Was he ever going to warn her before he showed up?

“Cancel your Uber.”

“How do you know I’ve called an Uber?”

He smirked as his eyes travelled down the length of her body and Beth wished she hadn’t just come out from a night of drinking and dancing, with hair clinging to her skin, drenched in not only her sweat but countless strangers’. “Calculated guess.”

“Somebody is going to see you,” Beth said as she passed him and unlocked the car.

“Ladies’ night?” Rio asked, following her to the driver’s side.

“It’s St. Patrick’s Day.” Beth’s eyes fell on the clock at the dashboard. “Or it was two hours ago.” She pulled her head out to look at him. “What are you even doing here?”

“Give me your keys.”

Beth opened her mouth to argue. He couldn’t just take her car whenever he felt like it. The last time his friend had “borrowed” it, she’d gotten it back with twelve more bullet-holes than before and she really couldn’t afford another repair right now. But the alcohol had pulled all the fight out of her. So instead, she closed her mouth, wordlessly handed him the keys and stepped back.

Rio fixed his eyes on hers. “You need me to open the door for you or what?” 

It took Beth a second, but eventually her mind caught up. She stepped around the car and slid into the passenger seat. “Where are you taking me?”

“Home,” Rio said as he sat down next to her. Home? He was taking her home? 

Confidently, he pulled the car out of its spot and weaved smoothly into traffic.

Rio was taking her home. 

“Did you rob the last location?” She asked, in an attempt at guessing why he would show up in the middle of the night only to drive her back to her house.

“Nah, I got another job for you.”

Beth rested her eyes as she leaned deeper into the seat. “I’m tired, Rio. Didn’t we agree this was going to be my last business venture?”

“You still lying to yourself?” Rio turned towards her, his elbow resting on the windowsill.

“I’m tired, Rio,” she repeated. “All this lying and scheming might come easy to you, but I’ve got kids. I can’t put them at risk.”

Rio laughed. “You think I don’t have any of my own?”

“I-“ Beth paused. She hadn’t thought about Rio as someone who had a family before. She tried to imagine him as a son, as a father. Strangely, it fit. “I- I just want my kids to be safe. Can you promise me they’ll be safe?”

“I don’t do promises.” All expression had drained from Rio’s face, not even a sneer on his lips.

Beth straightened. She wasn’t in the state to argue with him tonight. “What have you got?”

“Deluxe is … compromised. I need you to take her place in the next robbery.”

“Sorry?” She couldn’t have heard him right. No way.

“Ain’t no reason to get scared, you done it before.”

“Yeah, but that was a _grocery store_. This is the art gallery of a gang leader!”

Rio licked his lips and shrugged. _Not my problem,_  he was saying. 

“If anything happens to my kids, I’ll make you regret coercing me into this.”

Rio smirked. “Oh, I don’t doubt it, sweetheart.”

Beth studied his expression. Something had shifted between them. She almost hadn’t noticed it, but he looked differently at her now. Was it respect? Their robberies had gone well, not least of all because of her, and he had asked for her help now, hadn’t he? She had to have earned some respect. Her gut told her it wasn’t just that, though. There was more, but Beth couldn’t for the life of her figure out what it was.

“And I want a bigger cut,” she said, the leftover alcohol in her bloodstream making her bolder. The money she’d gotten for her little research project had gotten her credit cards out of debt and paid off the lawyer but it was barely enough to pay the bills, never-mind to send the kids to the camp in the summer. 

“Done.”

He’d agreed so readily, Beth was tempted to ask him for more, but she’d learnt better than to push Rio. _You’ll put that fiery hair and those deer eyes to use, and seduce him._  If only it was that easy. She was all too aware of the hair sticking to the back of her neck, the river of sweat between her boobs from the dense heat of the bar, her mildly swollen feet crammed into her heels. She wouldn’t even be able to seduce Dean like this.

“We’re preparing to get back into business, think you can handle another load?” Rio asked.

“Absolutely not,” Beth replied. “Turner must still have his eyes on me, I’m their only lead.”

“Don’t flatter yourself. They been hitting up the rapist as well.”

“Leslie?” Beth’s eyes widened. They hadn’t heard from him since he’d been forced to shut his store. She’d assumed he’d hauled up with his grandmother or fled the state. “What do they want with him?”

“He’s convinced you and your lady friends were involved in the robbery.”

Beth let out a breath and clutched her necklace, playing with the pearls. “He can’t prove anything. He’s desperate because his business got shut down.” 

Rio didn’t reply. His eyes travelled to her fingers and back up again. She dropped the necklace.

“Either way, what you’re asking is insane,” Beth said. “I’m not going to launder money while the FBI is monitoring my every step.”

Rio’s jaw twitched. “Think about it.”

She shook her head. “There’s nothing to think about. I can shake them off for the robbery but laundering money is too obvious, especially since they’ll be watching for it.”

“You worry too much.” The words set an avalanche of frustration loose inside of her. They had followed her all her life, from childhood to adolescence, next to Annie she’d always seemed too proper, too prude. Nobody ever seemed to realise that there was a different side to her too.

“Don’t pretend to know me.”

Rio laughed. “You the one pretending here, like you all strait-laced and demure.” Beth’s head snapped towards him. It scared her how easy he could see through her. It made her wonder what else he noticed in her. And did he really think she was cut out for this life?

The question was still on Beth’s tongue as they reached her house. But it was exchanged for a smile and far, far more indecent thoughts when Rio followed her out of the car and onto the pathway. Maybe she would make Delphine’s words come true tonight after all.

Beth unlocked the front door. When she didn’t hear footsteps following her inside, she looked back at Rio over her shoulder with what she hoped was a seductive flutter of her eyelashes. “Do you want to come in?”

Rio’s lips curled into a sneer, a sort of half-laugh half-exhale passing between them. Yet, he didn’t say anything.

“I have drinks,” Beth offered, her insecurities returning despite the alcohol. How could he look at her so intensely and still not act on it? Was she reading him wrong? Was this just another one of his games?Finally, Rio stepped forward, taking two stairs up at a time. He stopped so close to her Beth would’ve only needed to stretch her hand to touch him. Their proximity was more intoxicating than any drink she’d had tonight.

“You’re drunk,” he stated.

“I sobered up on the drive back.”

Rio chuckled. He raised a hand and softly brushed her hair back. “Get some sleep, Elizabeth.”

She could see in his eyes that there was no room for arguments. And why would there be? Whatever this was between them, she was reading too much into it if she thought she could seduce him.

Her shoulders dragged her down yet she held them high, refusing to give into her self-pity. But he must’ve seen something in her eyes because he said, “Next time.”

It almost sounded like a promise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IM BACK FROM THE DEAD  
> honestly no idea why this took so long sorry guys 
> 
> pls leave me a kudo and ur thoughts down below bc im strUGGLING. im planning on pre-writing the next chapters so I need some motivatiooon
> 
> thank u for reading my friends


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